DMs, How Often Do You Declare Circumstance Bonuses/Penalties?

[el-remmen]

Personally, I am a circumstance modifying fiend!

I am always giving a bonus or penalty here and there for all sorts of conditions, or just little rare "common sense" things that the rules don't specifically cover.

Okay, I shouldn't say "always", but every few sessions something comes up and I never hesitate to make an ad hoc ruling about much more easy or difficult something is.

I might give a circumstance penalty to a Reflex save if made on the edge of a cliff.

I might give a circumstance penalty for a grapple check if you just climbed out of a mud bog (on the flip side I might give a bonus to your escape artist check if you are greased up like that).

I might give a circumstance bonus to some skill check if the player is clever/creative in describing how they use it - or has access to some normally unavailable resource to complete the task at hand.

I might give a circumstance penalty for a bluff check for a child lying to a parent (they always know ), or a one-time bonus for that same parent to attack someone harming their children.

Etc. . .Etc. . .

How often do you apply ad hoc circumstance modifiers as a DM? What are some examples? How do your players react to them?

 

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

I give them out a lot. My players try to manipulate the battlefield to their advantage whenever possible. Taking the high ground, manuevering to try to trap their foes in bad situations, etc.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I give them out almost constantly for skills. More than 50% of the time. Saving throws--far far less often. You'd have to make a very good case for me to possible think about giving you a circumstance bonus to a Fortitude Save, for instance. Attack rolls--only if it is one of the listed circumstances or an unusual case comes up. No bonus to hit for describing a cool manoeuvre.

 

[Lanefan]

Declare? Nearly never.

Use? Frequently.

Many's the time when PC's are lacking certain information or knowledge such that some task or whatever is more difficult than it seems...the opposite is also true; sometimes things are easier than they look to the PC's. I just quietly modify the roll (or if I was using 3e, I'd modify the DC) accordingly...usually letting the player(s) know afterward if the perception-vs.-reality difference becomes obvious.

Lanefan

 

[Berandor]

I don't use it as often as I should, or would like to.

 

[Wraith Form]

Declare? Nearly never.

Use? Frequently.

Many's the time when PC's are lacking certain information or knowledge such that some task or whatever is more difficult than it seems...the opposite is also true; sometimes things are easier than they look to the PC's. I just quietly modify the roll (or if I was using 3e, I'd modify the DC) accordingly...usually letting the player(s) know afterward if the perception-vs.-reality difference becomes obvious.

Q F T.

After reading a recent Monte article in Dungeon mag, where he provided advice about Search vs. Spot, I've taken the standpoint that secret doors are just more fun if they're found.....so my thief player gets a little "help" sometimes. She, of course, has no clue.