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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 2773076" data-attributes="member: 2020">My impression from the combined charts above:  DC 0 (VERY EASY)  This is something you can do without special training, and without thinking about it.  Actions such as walking, talking, eating, drinking, breathing, and the like.  DC 5 (EASY)  This is something that is hazardous to do without Taking 10 (without actually thinking about it before doing it), but can be done without special training and can still be done without thinking much on it.  Climbing a tree, basic rollerblading, basic rollerskating, basic skiing, basic iceskating, climbing a ladder, standing on a steep rooftop, shovelling snow off of a slanted rooftop, driving in a torrential downpour and high winds, and the like (in other words, things that would get Yours Truly killed or seriously injured if he wasn't careful and thought about what he was doing.)  DC 10 (AVERAGE)  This is something that is very hazardous to do without Taking 10.  People just don't attempt things like this without thinking it out first (Taking 10) or sitting and really thinking it out first (Taking 20.)  Climbing a tree with few branches, high speed rollerblading, high speed rollerskating, moderate skiing, high speed iceskating, climbing a very tall ladder, running across a steep rooftop, shovelling snow on a steep rooftop, driving in a blizzard or hurricane force winds, or trying to play a series of notes on key on a violin/flute/piano (that is, many people die or are injured (or just fail miserably and produce no notes) attempting these things, primarily because they didn't think it out first, or 'rolled' badly, or someone else didn't think it out or 'rolled' badly.)  It is best, with a DC 10 challenge, to have some training in the endeavor attempted, but it is not obligatory.  Anyone can attempt these efforts, but trained people take the least risk.  A typical Player Character isn't going to have any problems with performing any task with a DC of 10.  DC 15 (TOUGH)  This represents something that nobody who is untrained should attempt (or is able to, sometimes) attempt.  A trained person can attempt this action with ease.  Of course, untrained people sometimes make the attempt anyways, and fatalities and injuries are common (not to mention simple failure and frustration.)  Typing 40 words per minute, solving a calculus equation, calculating a solution to a simple engineering or archetectural problem, flying a small aircraft, painting a house, wallpapering a house, properly varnishing a hardwood floor, repairing a broken part on a car, attempting common ballet or iceskating maneuvers, skiing down a very advanced slope with many trees, swimming some distance in very cold water, attempting to do a professional's job (you pick the profession) when you aren't a professional but the task would be simple for the professional, and so on.  DC 20 (CHALLENGING)  This sounds to me like the staple of professionals, both mental and physical.  That is, the routine tasks (impossible or nearly impossible to an untrained person, challenging to a trained person, easy for a trained person who 'Takes 20' and considers and studies the matter first) of an auto-mechanic, carpenter, electrician, architect, engineer, construction worker, steeple-jack, aircraft pilot, computer software designer, professional ballet dancer, professional circus performer, or the like.    It also represents people doing fairly exotic things, and succeeding.  Skiing down a mountain, climbing a thin silken rope, dead lifting 300 pounds, doing 10 pull-ups (or similar things far, far beyond the capacity of Yours Truly.)  DC 25 (FORMIDABLE)  This sounds like Limited to Professionals only.  And it is an effort for them, typically needing a 'Take 20' roll.  Professionals can't, typically, just do these kinds of things without thought or preparation.  Repairing a badly damaged automobile engine, designing a new piece of computer software that reliably works, designing the electrical system of a large building, taking the Space Shuttle through a tricky maneuver, reentry into Earth's atmosphere for an astronaut, playing at the level of a Concert Violinist or Concert Pianist, attempting difficult ballet or iceskating moves, difficult and impressive circus acts, all sound like DC 25 acts.  DC 30 (HEROIC)  This is the kind of thing that makes for Television Specials.  The best feats of Circ Du Soleil, winning the gold/silver/bronze medals in an Olympic Event, winning the Master's Tour in Golf, being a world famous Concert Violinist or Pianist and bringing down the house with a master performance, solving an extremely difficult engineering or architectural problem, attempting supremely difficult ballet or iceskating maneuvers, running for 30 miles, walking for 60 miles without stopping, barrelling right through a wall of linebackers (when you're the quarterback and you have the football:  it never happens), running at 20 miles per hour (the world record is 21 miles per hour), leaping over Michael Jordan's head in basketball and scoring (that also never happens), trying to ski down from the very top of Mt Rainier (I saw someone try it and fail ...), throwing the basketball from one end of the court and having it score at the other end, intimidating an angry grizzily bear without using your voice or a tool.  Landing a military aircraft on an aircraft carrier for the first time, or performing the top abilities of a trained SEAL or Army Ranger would fall under DC 27 or 28.  Take-off for an astronaut (remaining fully functional, maneuvering the craft, dealing with all sorts of unexpected emergencies, all the while under 7 Gravities) would count as a DC 27 to 30 act.  Sitting out in the snow all night with your fellow monks, in temperatures near zero, with no clothing on ... and being perfectly fine the next day, and the snow around you melted.  DC 40:  Surviving a 100 mile per hour head-on collision with a semi, when you're the one in the small car.  Recovering fully without brain or nerve damage when you've been nearly decapitated (someone is doing that right now.)  Walking a mile to call for help, carrying your severed arm (severed at the shoulder) with you.  Surviving a fall from 30,000 feet.  Surviving a fall onto concrete from 500 feet up.  Swimming a mile in Antarctic Waters to the Antarctic Mainland (water temperature 28 degrees) without any protection or help (someone did that.)  Some of the things you read in Ripley's Believe It or Not.  Charging a machine gun nest, taking a full strafe, and taking the nest (Audy Murphy.)  Putting back on your armor, getting back on your horse, charging the enemy, and scaling the enemy wall when you have an arrow in you (Joan of Arc.)  Trying to get up and walk right after major exploratory surgery in the chest.  Trying to survive major exploratory surgery without anaethesia or any other aid.  Placing a hot iron against yourself and branding yourself without feeling anything, through sheer will and meditation.  DC:  I do these things automatically:  why do you ask?  DC 5: I can do this.  It's easy.  DC 10:  I can do this.  It's hard, but I can do things when I put my mind to them.  DC 15:  I can do this because I'm trained, but don't you try it.  Enthusiasm and effort isn't enough here.  DC 20:  I can do this.  I'm educated, have years of practice, and I'm going to think on it.  DC 25:  I can do this, maybe.  I'm a real professional, but this is asking an awful lot.  DC 30:  I'm one of the best in the world at this, so it's possible if I'm really at my peak.  DC 40:  You're asking me to perform a superhuman feat, a miracle.  Is this closer to being right?</blockquote>

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