D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] - Can you Take 10 or Take 20 on a Hide check?

[merdox]

Taking 20 on hide - see it in ACTION!

This is what it looks like when you take 20 on a hide check:

go to 2minutes and 28 seconds

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFZ07fb2j1A&t=2m28s"]Chris farley taking 20 on a hide check[/ame]

see, eventually you get it right when you keep rerolling

 

[Angrydad]

You can always take a 10 as long as your aren't under duress (i.e. battle, etc.)

Need to know what you can take a 20 on
try this list from Sean K Reynolds
Take a 20

For thoose that are to lazy to follow the link
Hide:
Yes, because there is no penalty for failure (really, there isn't ... a low roll means you're setting a low DC for people to Spot you, and while the result of your opposed roll may be bad, the roll itself is not a success or failure).

Note this was created for 3.0 but I don't see why it would change for 3.5

Thank you. The circumstances that so many people are talking about, where a PC has time to set up an ambush, essentially allows for them to take 20. If it'll be an hour before the target of the ambush comes by, there is nothing stopping the PCs from rolling a Hide check every round for 1 hour (600 rolls). You may as well just tell them they got a 20 and save the dice rolling for something that matters, like the targets' Spot checks to notice the concealed PCs. Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

 

[Vegepygmy]

If it'll be an hour before the target of the ambush comes by, there is nothing stopping the PCs from rolling a Hide check every round for 1 hour (600 rolls).

Yes, there is, and the 3.5 FAQ explains it better than I probably would:

f a check’s success or failure depends on another character’s opposed roll, both sides have to roll when that opposition occurs—you can’t take 20 and “save up” the maximum result. If you hide in the bushes to attack a group of orcs that will walk by later, you can’t take 20 on the Hide check, since the success or failure of your Hide check isn’t resolved until the orcs make their Spot checks. You can’t take 20 on a Use Rope check to tie someone up, since you don’t really know how successful you’ve been until that enemy tries to struggle free.​

Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Because it doesn't make sense.

 

[Alexander123]

Well, Greater Deities roll natural 20's.

 

[Pergentile]

Thread Necromancy ftw.

 

[Angrydad]

Yes, there is, and the 3.5 FAQ explains it better than I probably would:

f a check’s success or failure depends on another character’s opposed roll, both sides have to roll when that opposition occurs—you can’t take 20 and “save up” the maximum result. If you hide in the bushes to attack a group of orcs that will walk by later, you can’t take 20 on the Hide check, since the success or failure of your Hide check isn’t resolved until the orcs make their Spot checks. You can’t take 20 on a Use Rope check to tie someone up, since you don’t really know how successful you’ve been until that enemy tries to struggle free.​

Because it doesn't make sense.

Because the rest of the rules make sense in a real world situation too? I'm just saying that it's a game here, and people will play it how they want. Getting all bent out of shape about how someone chooses to roll or not roll dice seems a little crazy.

 

[Mark CMG]

If it'll be an hour before the target of the ambush comes by, there is nothing stopping the PCs from rolling a Hide check every round for 1 hour (600 rolls).

Except that there's nothing to hide from until they get there. Giving a circumstance bonus for having an hour to prepare to hide seems to fit the rules and make sense. In some situations I would even give a circumstance bonus that made the opposed rolls an all but foregone conclusion.

 

[Angrydad]

Except that there's nothing to hide from until they get there. Giving a circumstance bonus for having an hour to prepare to hide seems to fit the rules and make sense. In some situations I would even give a circumstance bonus that made the opposed rolls an all but foregone conclusion.

I suppose this makes a bit more sense. Just give them a +20 or something for having so much time to prepare the perfect hiding spot, camouflage, etc. It really makes little difference as far as the DC for the Spotters then. Of course, it can still depend on how you rule a natural 1 on a Hide check and other skills. Instant failure? Just add to a 1? Or the variant where a 1 means you take a -10 or -20 to start and then add all your modifiers? Meh, I guess I'll just go with a huge circumstance bonus and then whatever house rules we're doing for rolls.