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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DreamsAndPixies" data-source="post: 7377830" data-attributes="member: 6940607">Ability Checks: variant rule PH175A few days ago I wrote an article about the variant rule p175 of the PHB for Ability Checks. I thought I'd share here.Ability Checks Ability checks are powerful tools the DM use in a wide array of  situations. They allow you to run and control the flow of the game, and  to arbitrate and resolve conflicts. They are also simple: roll a d20, add the relevant ability modifier,  and your proficiency modifier. For instance, if you are trying to snatch  the purse of a merchant, the DM might call for a Dexterity (Sleight of  Hands) check. Dexterity is the relevant ability, and Sleight of Hands is  the relevant skill. You might even be a Rogue who has Expertise in  Sleight of Hands, highly increasing your odds of success. This particular check uses a skill, one of the eighteen listed in the game. But the way skills are written in the Player’s Handbook,  they are innately tied to an Ability score. Often, the ability score is  omitted. E.g. when the DM calls for a Perception check, we make a  Wisdom (Perception) check. The variant rule Now there is a neat little variant rule in the Player’s Handbook  that says the DM can ask for a skill check with another ability score  if appropriate. For instance, a rough character could intimidate an  enemy by flexing their muscles, or lifting and hurling a nearby boulder.  This would be an excellent occasion for a Strength (Intimidation)  check. I encourage you to use this variant rule as much as possible as  it opens up possibilities. It rewards creative-thinking, and enables  less reliance on rigid abilities score. Examples And to inspire you, here are a few examples of applying this variant rule: <ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Passing of as a historian at the queen’s banquet could be Intelligence (Deception), as you use sophistry to hide your ignorance. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">If you try to hide your spellcasting: Spellcasting Ability (Deception) as you try to appear inconspicuous, or Spellcasting Ability (Sleight of Hand) as you try to keep your focus and somatic components out of sight. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Convincing a barbarian tribe to join you by lifting a heavy boulder in a dramatic manner: Strength (Persuasion). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">A delicate surgical operation that requires a steady hand would be an excellent occasion to do a Dexterity (Medicine) check. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">For your next infiltration mission, you observe the schedule of the  patrols and relieving. By timing your movement and relying on your  memory, you can avoid patrols: Intelligence (Stealth) check. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Blending into a crowd as a local: Charisma (Stealth) check (vicious_snek  from Reddit). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Wall Jump/Climbing jumping from ropes to ropes: Dexterity (Athletics) or Strength (Acrobatics). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Hurting yourself to intimidate an enemy (for instance, knocking a wall with your solid shining bald head): Constitution (Intimidation). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Playing with a butterfly knife or juggling and throwing shurikens to intimidate small-time thugs : Dexterity (Intimidation). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Juggling: an obvious Dexterity (Performance). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Funding speech for your next cult: Charisma (Religion). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Rodeo: Constitution (Animal Handling), and more generally Constitution (X) for any task involving the skill X and depending on stamina more than anything else. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">You need to test wildlife plants in this new unfamiliar environment where you just have teleported? Constitution (Nature) or Constitution (Medicine). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Predicting an enemy’s next move: Intelligence (Insight). While Wisdom (Insight)  would work — in fact it is one of its main use —, if the prediction is  made based solely on logic, Intelligence makes perfect sense here. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Solving a puzzle in limited time which requires nimble fingers (like a Rubik’s cube): Dexterity (Investigation). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Tie a Knot: Intelligence (Sleight of Hand) from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything‘s rules on tying knots. Intelligence (Survival) might also make sense. </li> </ol>A more in-depth look. You can notice those examples emphasize two different aspects tied to  two different ability scores. For instance, solving a puzzle in limited  time involves a measure of intelligence or memorization, but also  quickness. The variant rules shine here as it allows us to reward those  two aspects, instead of having to choose one and ignoring the other. This idea is also touched upon in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything  in another form. If a PC is proficient in both a skill and tools  relevant to the situation, the DM could give them advantage on the  check. E.g. someone proficient with the Alchemist kit and the Arcana  Skill is doubly qualified to investigate a wizard’s laboratory. The idea  can be extended to all checks without any difficulty. And last, raw pure checks are also interesting in their own regards, when there does not seem to be an ability check to tie. At this point, or right from the start, you might have asked yourself  why bother, won’t it be the default PHB ability score most of the  time? Not to mention the lack of proficiency might make the ability  check a simple raw check. It might be, but the few cases where you go  into a different direction, the players that enjoy solving conflicts  through creative thinking are going to enjoy it, even if your choice of  ability is at their detriment. In fact, if a player makes a convincing  argument to use another ability score than the default one, you should  allow it. Next time, we shall take a look at passive scores and how to use those, beyond the simple textbook use of passive perception. Strength checks, not Athletics checks! Side note, the Strength section of Using Each Ability (PH125),  is of particular interest and I recommend its reading. Here you learn  that Athletics should be used for climbing and pulling, lifting or  carrying any objects would be excellent Strength checks (just a pure raw  Strength check, not Athletics). I would recommend following those  guidelines as a way to promote Strength differentiation in the party,  and punish Strength dumping. The way a party deal with a shared common  weakness is as interesting as the way a particular individual can shine  through their strengths.Follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/DreamsAndPixies" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. My <a href="http://dreamsandpixies.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> for more articles and some homebrew.</blockquote>

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