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<blockquote data-quote="Helpful NPC Thom" data-source="post: 8424610" data-attributes="member: 7031378">I don't calibrate skill check DCs based on the player characters; I calibrate them on what seems reasonable within the fiction. Usually I set the DCs around 13-18 and will increase them higher based on what a player is trying to accomplish. If a player wants to accomplish more with a single roll, the DC goes higher, where if he shoots for a more average result, I'll lower it. Example: convincing the guards to let you walk into the king's throne room fully armed and intimidating? DC 20. Allowing the party to be disarmed except for the wizard requesting to keep his staff? That might be a bit lower, or it might not.Special circumstances alter DCs if I've noted them in advance. A wall that is covered with slime, for example, might be a base DC 15 to climb but it's so slippery that I'll bump it up to DC 20 (or impose disadvantage).Failure states change regardless of DC. A failed check might have harsh consequences with a low DC, and it might not even with a high DC. Sweet-talking the king into loaning you his crown? You're laughed and escorted out of the courtroom on a failure. Sweet-talking the king into funding an expedition to unexplored territory? Failure might be the king agrees, but the boat you get is a leaky cast-off that was retired from service.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Helpful NPC Thom, post: 8424610, member: 7031378"] I don't calibrate skill check DCs based on the player characters; I calibrate them on what seems reasonable within the fiction. Usually I set the DCs around 13-18 and will increase them higher based on what a player is trying to accomplish. If a player wants to accomplish more with a single roll, the DC goes higher, where if he shoots for a more average result, I'll lower it. Example: convincing the guards to let you walk into the king's throne room fully armed and intimidating? DC 20. Allowing the party to be disarmed except for the wizard requesting to keep his staff? That might be a bit lower, or it might not. Special circumstances alter DCs if I've noted them in advance. A wall that is covered with slime, for example, might be a base DC 15 to climb but it's so slippery that I'll bump it up to DC 20 (or impose disadvantage). Failure states change regardless of DC. A failed check might have harsh consequences with a low DC, and it might not even with a high DC. Sweet-talking the king into loaning you his crown? You're laughed and escorted out of the courtroom on a failure. Sweet-talking the king into funding an expedition to unexplored territory? Failure might be the king agrees, but the boat you get is a leaky cast-off that was retired from service. [/QUOTE]

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