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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7585012" data-attributes="member: 20564">The math is correct in your examples.  However, that doesn't mean you were plugging in the right numbers.Actually, these two facts together - the DC and modifier - leads into the most important point.  That 2d10 and d20 do not have the same distribution over their length.Between DC and modifier you determine what you need to roll (or better) on the dice.I'm going to the rest because it really focuses on only the DC, when my entire point was about why it was a lousy example was about both in tandem.  It's an incomplete look at what I was saying that makes so sense without the other half to determine what the roll is.  If you thought that was all I was talking about then my apologies for not communicating clearly.Okay, getting back to the numbers that need to be rolled, this is two components.  DC and modifier.  The DCs set up by the OP, and expected modifiers for characters, go hand in hand to determine what needs to be rolled.  Luckily we can estimate out ranges for both of these.For intentional tasks, it will likely be done by PCs who are good at what they do.  The ranger trained in Survival and with a positive Wisdom mod tracking someone in a forest.  The bard trained in persuasion.  You get the idea.Because of the DCs, it ends up that most of the roll-or-better numbers cluster more around the middle of the range.  So looking at numbers that are very high is not representative of actual play.As a matter of fact, since the variation between results is much greater than a d20 in the middle range, and much smaller at the rarely-used 17+ range you were examining, it actually flips the math and shows the opposite of common usage.So while the math you did was good (I assume, you're good at it), the numbers you were comparing were untypical for actual play and with different distribution then the numbers used more commonly in play.You mentioned needing a 12 or greater where both have a 45% chance.  With your same 3 modifier you used (so needing a 9 or higher), d20 goes to a 60% chance vs 72% chance with 2d10.  Hardly the 900% difference between then that the extreme examples found.  Even the other way, needing 15 or greater is 30% vs. 21%.  Both of those will be more common at the table then 17+ vs. 20+.</blockquote>

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