D&D (2024) They need to bring back Gather Information in One DnD.

[doctorbadwolf]

What would a gather information procedure give that is not included in the research downtime activity? A series of skill checks rather than one? Example or defined DCs?

Yes, and also other things.

Like a lot of downtime activities, it’s just not any fun, has a hard set unchangeable time and gold cost, and at most one skill check for a task that is much too complex to be one check.

IMO all downtime activities should have at least 3 checks, which can be done by multiple characters when multiple PCs are involved, with at least 3 levels of outcome, from total failure, through partial/complicated success, to total success.

Research would be 3+ checks, using social, Int, or both, skills, with how much info you get being on a success ladder with at least 4 rungs. No successes, 1, 2, and 3, successes.

Full disclosure, this is how I handle complex adventuring tasks, already. Finding, examining, disarming, and whatever the PC does next (scavenge parts, break so it won’t operate anymore without extensive repair, take sketches as they disassemble it ao they can recreate it later, rearm it so that enemies following them have to deal with it, etc) will have 3 to 5 checks, and low successes might mean disarming but gettin hurt, for instance.

 

[Shardstone]

A world with humans? Because that is literally our whole thing and it is super weird when we put down people for being people.

He said communicating via harnessed lightning just so he doesn't have to travel months by sea to distribute pamphlets on how the wizard class should be deleted.

Yawn. The only one moralizing is you.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yawn. The only one moralizing is you.

At what point did anyone mention moralizing?

 

[MichaelSomething]

Yes, and also other things.

Like a lot of downtime activities, it’s just not any fun, has a hard set unchangeable time and gold cost, and at most one skill check for a task that is much too complex to be one check.

IMO all downtime activities should have at least 3 checks, which can be done by multiple characters when multiple PCs are involved, with at least 3 levels of outcome, from total failure, through partial/complicated success, to total success.

Research would be 3+ checks, using social, Int, or both, skills, with how much info you get being on a success ladder with at least 4 rungs. No successes, 1, 2, and 3, successes.

Full disclosure, this is how I handle complex adventuring tasks, already. Finding, examining, disarming, and whatever the PC does next (scavenge parts, break so it won’t operate anymore without extensive repair, take sketches as they disassemble it ao they can recreate it later, rearm it so that enemies following them have to deal with it, etc) will have 3 to 5 checks, and low successes might mean disarming but gettin hurt, for instance.

That looks sort of like skill challenges...

 

[DarkCrisis]

“Roll a charisma/intelligence test”

Easy.

 

[Reynard]

“Roll a charisma/intelligence test”

Easy.

Singular ability checks that are evaluated as pass/fail are boring AF. There is lots of room for trying to make this stuff more interesting in play.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That looks sort of like skill challenges...

Yep. It's a great structure for tasks that are more complex than a normal skill check.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Singular ability checks that are evaluated as pass/fail are boring AF. There is lots of room for trying to make this stuff more interesting in play.

That’s where the roleplaying comes in. You don’t need some extensive system of dice rolls that slows everything down. IMO

 

[Incenjucar]

That’s where the roleplaying comes in. You don’t need some extensive system of dice rolls that slows everything down. IMO

As has been brought up in a thousand threads by now, this applies to the whole game. You can just roll a skill check to see if you win a combat encounter or finish a dungeon. Some folks specifically want exploration to take up a larger part of the rules of the game than they currently do.

 

[DarkCrisis]

As has been brought up in a thousand threads by now, this applies to the whole game. You can just roll a skill check to see if you win a combat encounter or finish a dungeon. Some folks specifically want exploration to take up a larger part of the rules of the game than they currently do.

Then make several ability checks as needed. It’s really simple.

Great thing about old D&D and OSRs. Things boiled down to being simple with ability checks.

But yes as you said, this line of thinking and chat is nothing new. Some people want intricate systems, some want something like Shadowdark.