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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lamoni" data-source="post: 1055147" data-attributes="member: 12680">I guess that reacting to something would often involve distraction.  Reacting to someone trying to grapple you would definitely be a distraction... but that is also in combat.  I don't understand how spot and listen would imply distraction.  The only way that they would be distracting is if you actually did spot or hear something.  Using the argument of being distracting on a successful check doesn't really make much sense either because by that time, you already succeeded and the distraction wouldn't prevent you from succeeding at something you already did.Normally, you are just walking somewhere.  looking around and listening wherever you go.  If someone is moving silently behind you and another person is hiding up in front of you that shouldn't affect the party in any way to prevent them from taking a 10 IMO.To respond to the original poster:I believe that the rules aren't too vague.  The problem is that several skill checks that you believe should be exceptions to the rule, don't have anything in the skill description saying that they are.  That doesn't make it vague, that makes it different from what you wanted/expected.  You do have a valid point on possibly being too generous (I don't think it is, but that is fine if you do.)  Could they have been even more clear by specifically stating it in each skill description?  Yes.  Should they have done so?  IMO, no.  If they had done that people would feel like they would have to look up each individual skill description to see if taking a 10 was allowed.  As it is now, you can read the basic rule and do it when it makes sense.</blockquote>

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