Just ask for ability checks and let the player pick the skill. That way there’s no table time wasted on the negotiation. Assume the players know what they want their characters to do and will act in good faith choosing the skill (or tool) they think is most appropriate for the task, and ask them to assume you will rule permissively.I'm not sure what to call it, but I see this mess all the time.
Do you just increase the DC for using an "off" skill? Do you give the player a hard "no" when it's too preposterous? How do you go about adjudicating these sort of questions?
- Is it OK if use Intimidate instead of Diplomacy?
- Can I use Acrobatics to initiate a grapple?
- I worship the god of magic. Can I roll Arcana instead of Religion?
- If I scavenge some vines, is it OK to roll Survival instead of tool proficiency to make rope?
(Comic for illustrative purposes.)
I do to sometimes, but there has to be more than this. To get a persuasion or intimidation the person has to tell me what he is doing - tell the guard "You think you could let me in" as I hold up a platinum - persuasion. "Let me in because I know where you live" - intimidation. It might be different DCs too, in a town with a lot of corruption the pesuasion DC to bribe a guard is probably low for example.I offer two choices and say the choice affects the delivery. The skill they choose changes what happens, what they learn, and even possibly the DC.
"Please roll Cha + Persuasion OR Intimidation."
"Please roll Int + Arcana OR History."
"Please roll Str + Athletics OR Acrobatics."
There is no diplomacy skill in 5e. Intimidate and persuasion have different uses and consequences, and thinking about those might help answer your question.I'm not sure what to call it, but I see this mess all the time.
Do you just increase the DC for using an "off" skill? Do you give the player a hard "no" when it's too preposterous? How do you go about adjudicating these sort of questions?
- Is it OK if use Intimidate instead of Diplomacy?
- Can I use Acrobatics to initiate a grapple?
- I worship the god of magic. Can I roll Arcana instead of Religion?
- If I scavenge some vines, is it OK to roll Survival instead of tool proficiency to make rope?
(Comic for illustrative purposes.)
Not in the normal sense of the word 'optional'. Certainly in the extended sense, that all rules are optional.Remember skills are pretty much vestigal in 5e and optional.
Well optional to the extent that they're easily expunged and there are three different variant options in the DMG for expunging them and replacing them with an alternate way to gain proficiency.Not in the normal sense of the word 'optional'. Certainly in the extended sense, that all rules are optional.
I believe one can get a little more out of skills, by allowing them to also guide to the tone or direction of the narrative. Just as many above have noted regarding using different social skills to obtain the same ends.Just ask for ability checks and let the player pick the skill. That way there’s no table time wasted on the negotiation. Assume the players know what they want their characters to do and will act in good faith choosing the skill (or tool) they think is most appropriate for the task, and ask them to assume you will rule permissively.
Sorry, I had to smile. You mean that there are optional rules for skills. Yes, that's very true. It was a funny inversionWell optional to the extent that they're easily expunged and there are three different variant options in the DMG for expunging them and replacing them with an alternate way to gain proficiency.