DM die rolls: out in the open or behind the screen?

[Zarthon]

I roll behind the screen

 

[thalmin]

I've always rolled mostly behind the screen, using open rolls for emphasis. After reading comments here, I think I'll do most rolls open. After all, the characters will usually see if their opponants are skillful or just seem lucky/unlucky, so I guess it's ok for the players to get that info, too. I'll reserve hidden rolls for when the characters don't know what they are up against.

 

[haiiro]

Now, the option of using a seperate space for rolling is available once more, so I do all my DM stuff at a seperate table to the players. Hadn't realised how much easier it made things

How do you work this? Do you have a smaller table off to the side (like a coffe or card table), near your chair at the main table? Or do you just sit at a completely separate table from the players?

 

[haiiro]

So far, I am most intrigued by the approach taken by Garmorn and Hygric: oepn rolls for combat (and other non-secret things), hidden rolls for certain PC skills and NPC checks. I think I'll give this a try when the opportunity arises.

 

[megamania]

Varies- skill checks I often do in secret, Attacks are out in the open. Saves fall inbetween. Depends on mood.

 

[hammymchamham]

I roll 99% of the time behind the screen. Sometimes I let it roll out in the open to see what happens (I'm at 1 HP! Says the fighter) and for rolls that really don't matter

I don't need my players sitting their knowing WHO is the toughest baddy or what the monsters need to hit. 'Oh cool he needs to roll a 17!' or 'Oh crap all he needs is a 5'

 

[arwink]

How do you work this? Do you have a smaller table off to the side (like a coffe or card table), near your chair at the main table? Or do you just sit at a completely separate table from the players?

Well, we play at capellan's house, and he has a fairly sizable gaming table close to his equally sizable kitchen bench. From what I've seen, who'evers DM'ing just colonizes the kitchen bench for their books and die rolling, then spends the day standing, while the players sit around the table. Given I tend to stand when I DM half the time anyway, it wasn't that great a change. I just run back and forth between the two spaces when I need to.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I do both.

Skill Checks are all behind the Screen. Most combat is in front of the screen, although PCs usually can guess how powerful something is by the die results, figuring out bab, saves etc, so those will go behind the screen with NPC villians that need a little mystery.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

I do both really. It gets a little annoying having to stand up and roll out in the open over my DM screen though, so I prefer to roll behind the screen. If it's something for emphasis--i.e. a bigass spell being fired upon the PCs--it's marvelous being able to watch the expressions on their faces as the multiple d6s are rolled. I can see merits to keeping everything in the open (or just mostly everything in the open) but i just can't see myself doing that without having to do something about my screen.

I also roll critical hit confirmations in front of the PCs.

But I feel that my players trust me enough not to be pulling anything really shady behind the DM screen--I let the dice fall as they may....well maybe i occaisionally fudge... IN THEIR FAVOR though. Since I'm trying to be more of a rat bastard DM lately, I'm not letting the dice be fudged as much though...

 

[Victim]

I roll 99% of the time behind the screen. Sometimes I let it roll out in the open to see what happens (I'm at 1 HP! Says the fighter) and for rolls that really don't matter

I don't need my players sitting their knowing WHO is the toughest baddy or what the monsters need to hit. 'Oh cool he needs to roll a 17!' or 'Oh crap all he needs is a 5'

I, on the other hand, believe that sort of information is very important. Since everyone will interpret a description differently, rules based information gives players a reference point for understanding that description. Watching an entire 3 attack sequence hit the most heavily armored PC with low rolls makes one understand what the descriptive term "reowned swordmaster" really means. Similarly, veteran warrior is a pretty meaningless term without some sort of mechanical understanding behind it.