D&D 5E (2014) Can you retry a failed skill check? How long?

[BookTenTiger]

This thread hasn’t been posted in for 11 years until now.

It's okay, there's nothing in the rulebook that says you can't retry a skill 11 years later!

 

[BookTenTiger]

On the topic, if a skill can be tried over and over again until the PC succeeds, then I usually switch up the success parameters.

I might have the check represent how much time it takes to succeed, or how quietly or skillfully they complete the task at. So if a thief is trying to pick a lock, and they can just keep rolling into infinity, I'll just have them roll once. A high roll might mean it was done quickly and quietly, and a low roll might mean it was a loud and dirty job.

 

[James Gasik]

I have never had a thief try twice in one round using their bonus action. They mostly like to attack and try to open a door or lock. Out of combat, I tend to rule they cannot use their bonus action/ cunning action.

I have not really tried the 2024 rules with getting advantage opening locks using tools and proficiency.

Ok, but a part of my point is that the ability to perform a task as a bonus action should imply that it takes a very short amount of time to make the check, even outside of combat, right? So if, as in the original post (so long, long ago), the DM wants to say "ok, the check takes 1 minute, a retry takes 5 minutes" and so on, what does that mean for a Thief?

Because it doesn't really make sense that a Thief can do something in combat along with a normal action and movement inside of 6 seconds, but out of combat, suddenly it takes 10x that amount of time or longer.

 

[Horwath]

I have never had a thief try twice in one round using their bonus action. They mostly like to attack and try to open a door or lock. Out of combat, I tend to rule they cannot use their bonus action/ cunning action.

I have not really tried the 2024 rules with getting advantage opening locks using tools and proficiency.

I would say that if ability gives you that you can do something as Bonus action instead of Action, I would say that in extended action, you can do it 2× or 3× faster.

I.E: you need 20 successes to break open a safe, someone can make 1× roll per turn, but a thief would make 2× or maybe 3× if I value 1 Action = 2 Bonus action.