Gather Information

[Gizzard]

OK, since we've played mostly Hack-n-Slash style adventures so far, this hasnt really come up until now:

A lot of modules allow you to "Gather Information" (or "Search") and then list multiple different things you could find, each with a different DC. How many times do I roll to find out what people discover? For example:

DC15 The Mayor is corrupt
DC20 The Mayor has a mistress
DC20 The Mayor has a kickback deal with the Mill
DC25 The Mayor has had people killed
DC25 The Mayors mistress's name is Freida
DC30 The Mayor is a purple Dragon polymorphed ;-)

Is this six separate rolls or is this one roll and you learn everything under the DC you make? Or something else?

 

[Caliban]

OK, since we've played mostly Hack-n-Slash style adventures so far, this hasnt really come up until now:

A lot of modules allow you to "Gather Information" (or "Search") and then list multiple different things you could find, each with a different DC. How many times do I roll to find out what people discover? For example:

DC15 The Mayor is corrupt
DC20 The Mayor has a mistress
DC20 The Mayor has a kickback deal with the Mill
DC25 The Mayor has had people killed
DC25 The Mayors mistress's name is Freida
DC30 The Mayor is a purple Dragon polymorphed ;-)

Is this six separate rolls or is this one roll and you learn everything under the DC you make? Or something else?

I use just one roll.

 

[kreynolds]

Re: Re: Gather Information

I use just one roll.

Would you give the info for the roll and everything below it, or just one clue? For me, it depends on the list really.

 

[Drawmack]

You roll gather information one time and give them the information that appears for every DC at or below the rolled number. Now if you really want roll playing you can do it this way.

GM rolls the gather information check for who ever is communicating with the NPC. Giving up to a +5 circumstance bonus for good roll playing. Then through conversation allow the information to come out don't just spew it all out to the PCs.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

You roll gather information one time and give them the information that appears for every DC at or below the rolled number. Now if you really want roll playing you can do it this way.

GM rolls the gather information check for who ever is communicating with the NPC. Giving up to a +5 circumstance bonus for good roll playing. Then through conversation allow the information to come out don't just spew it all out to the PCs.

I generally don't like to do this. Basically you give someone a bonus for being charismatic out of game, and devaluing the skill points mr uncharismatic spent on his character.

 

[Ravellion]

I generally don't like to do this. Basically you give someone a bonus for being charismatic out of game, and devaluing the skill points mr uncharismatic spent on his character.

Perhaps, but if you take all the roleplaying out we might as well start playing Yahtzee.

Rav

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Perhaps, but if you take all the roleplaying out we might as well start playing Yahtzee.

Rav

One different strokes for different folks, some people don't like to role play much.

Two I never said remove roleplaying. All I said is I'm not going to give someone the in game benefit of being slick for being slick out of game. You know sort of like how I don't give the fighter a +2 to his attack rolls because he can kick my butt out of game.

I can motivate roleplaying in two ways, one showing how it is more fun that way, and two by giving xp for honest attempts at it even if they suck at it.

 

[Xarlen]

So, I guess Charisma *is* the dump stat.

 

[Drawmack]

I don't understand what you mean. If the person role-plays the situation well then they get a bonus for it that is an in game benefit for something that happened in game and that's what I was talking about. Your fighter analagy makes no sense.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

basically I'm saying this. Instead of roleplaying it, then rolling a result, and the DM saying you know what you're cooler than shaft I'm going to give you a +5. I instead have them roll the result, and they then roleplay the result appropriately.(and depending if they give an honest attempt on it they may make some xp) Cause why should slick player#1 get bonuses for roelpaying Billy Bob the red-neck wizard with his 6 chr and no ranks in bluff like he's Mr. Smooth. In other words don't give a in game benefit because the player can role-play being smooth well. The in game benefits should come from his CHR score and the ranks he spent in bluff.


Gah that was poorly explained but I can't come up with anything better at the moment.