Pre-rolling for players

[Glade Riven]

Pre-rolling - as in rolling for your players before the session starts. It can work in narritive instances.

I tried this once, and it worked out decent. I was trying something more story focused, and had set up a handful of rolls for certain checks ahead of time. It determined what each character knew in the particular circumstance as the plot unfolded, and it kept things from being too bogged down by every player wanting to roll 5 or 6 checks. Players still had control over what their character's did with the information they were given. In the end it all worked out and everyone had a good time. It also put more emphasis on roleplaying instead of roll-playing. Still, it isn't something that I would do every time.

What's your thoughts on it? Is pre-rolling a handy tool or an atrocity as it isn't the player's rolling the dice for the skill check? I think it is a good narrative tool, used in extreme moderation.

 

[Stormonu]

It's as useful a trick as the DM rolling in secret. As long as the players don't mind, I don't see it as a problem.

My group would probably hate it. Rolling the dice is a big part of the fun for them.

 

[the Jester]

As a player, I vastly prefer to roll my own dice.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I've never tried this, but as a player I would probably love this. Dice, math, etc definitely hampers my immersion. As a DM I don't think I'd care for it. Sounds like it would transfer a fair amount of work from players to DM.

 

[amerigoV]

IMO its ok if used sparingly. Otherwise, its just more crap for the DM to do. Players are lazy as it is .

The more you do this, I think as a DM you run the risk of countering the information you give out to keep it a challenge. For example, if you pre-roll the spot checks and foil 3 ambushes (on paper) in a row, you will then start to fudge rolls no one has seen to "keep it interesting".

Many players love to "figure things out". You can cut down on the rolls by hedging to side of giving out the information if the question hits close enough. Going back to older editions - you only called for a roll if there was a real chance of failure. That gets lots these days when you have investigation type skills.

The other thing you might try to speed it up is to have them write 1-20 (presuming D&D) on a piece of paper. For non-combat skill checks that are not take 10/20, let them "pick" the roll. When they get through all the numbers, start a new list.

But as some have said, if the group is very story driven they might really like it.

 

[Jhaelen]

Is pre-rolling a handy tool or an atrocity as it isn't the player's rolling the dice for the skill check?

I've used pre-rolled tests a lot in my games. There's btw. no reason why you cannot let the players make those rolls. We did this at the start of a session. Basically these rolls were used whenever you'd make a roll in secret, e.g. Perception and Insight rolls.

 

[Gilladian]

At the beginning of every second or third session, my PCs roll 10 d20 rolls. I have their skill checks jotted down. then during adventures I'm able to quickly narrate what happens based on those rolls and the situation they're in. They like it and I like it.

But I would never "roll for them". They want to be "in control" if only at a remove. And that's their prerogative, because it is the only control they have.

 

[IronWolf]

I've used pre-rolled tests a lot in my games. There's btw. no reason why you cannot let the players make those rolls. We did this at the start of a session. Basically these rolls were used whenever you'd make a roll in secret, e.g. Perception and Insight rolls.

I think this is the happy medium. I see no issues with pre-rolls and I don't even really object to the DM making them on occasion. But letting the players roll them before play even starts lets the DM use them secretly and still have had the players roll them themselves ahead of time.

 

[Umbran]

I use pre-rolls largely when I know the PCs will be facing several tests where their knowing that there's a check, or knowing the target number or their result would affect their behavior.

More often, at the beginning of a section, I'll ask the appropriate players to make several check, and record the results, and tick them off as I use them. I did that just recently with an interrogation scene - I had the player pre-roll a half-dozen checks before we began, and then we could roleplay through the interaction as one dramatic scene without pause.

 

[kitsune9]

I tried this for things like Perception checks and stuff, but don't really use it anymore.

I use a spreadsheet to do random rolls in secret. If any of you use Excel or a laptop you can enter the formula of a d20 to make a roll. Here's the fomula:

=RANDBETWEEN(1,20) and then hit Enter. It will generate a number of 1-20. It will keep doing that everytime you enter in something in a different cell and hit enter. I use for initiative for the NPC's and monsters for the most part.