How do you incorporate checks?

[Primitive Screwhead]

One of my recent character is a Mounted Archer.. currently with a Ride skill of 14...I had lots of fun doing off the wall combat manuevers with it!

I guess I ask like things with spot or listen checks, wouldn't that kind of give away, say an ambush or something? Bob is walking along, ok roll a spot, what for, no reason..

Alot of people use the pre-rolled chart. This makes it so the players get to roll the checks, but are not warned out of the game. Another thing to do is have red-herrings for them to 'see' when they make the spot check. This is a bit harder to do but can make the game more interesting... "What, you rolled an 18? Yup.. you notice that their is a section of plants that appear to have been cultivated about 15' off the trail on the left..almost like a minature garden.."
The reason this is harder is two-fold.. coming up with cool things to see off the cuff.. and dealing with the players who decide that the zen garden has to be intricately tied to the plot and wont stop until they track down the monk who is tending it!
{nothing like this *ever* happens to me... yeah, right!}

HAving them Take 10 is a good comprimise as well, altho removes some of the randomness. A Spot monkey will never be distracted by a pretty butterfly {my favorite reponse to a '1' on a Spot check..}

I guess the other reason I ask is I had thought about the pre planned episodes that skills could be used, wouldn't that kind of be forcing my PC's hand?

Pre-panning is more of a staging issue than it is of forcing the PCs. For instance, when Luke and Lei are running for thier lifes on the Death Star, they encounter a skill check for swinging across the chasm. You can do similiar things by placing the door to the treasury 30' up a wall..meaning climb checks or some other means to go around it.

I try to have at least 1 thing in each session that each character is good at, this gives the player a chance to be involved.. for Fighters its easy, just toss in a monster or two.
I also try focus on 1 character per session as a 'main' , essentially spotlighting their entire capabilities. It can get really boring playing a Face Man through 15 sessions of pure combat..

Speaking of.. as DM, you authorize the character concepts that are played. This means, to me, that you are agreeing to let that characters abilities be a common thread in the adventure. Don't be the guy who runs a Sci-Fi game and allows a Power Armor jocky character...then immediately strips him of his Power Armor and sticks him as dumb fighter type for the entire campaign {still miffed about that one.. I even drew the armor!!}
Its better to say, cool character, but I don't think I can work this into the campaign.. do you have another idea?

There is tons and tons of advise on how to run a game 'right'.. don't worry about most of that, it will come with time. The most important thing to measure whether you have it 'right' is if you and your group are having fun.. I have been told this is a *game* after all

 

[Quasqueton]

I would never allow a character to take 10 on a skill that is not active. To me that is like saying you keep your Dex bonus when you are flat footed - they are not "ready" or "engaged" in the activity at hand.

In the case of avoiding surprise or something unforseen I don't see how a character can "take extra care" when it is a reflexive check.

You are thinking of Take 20.

Take 10 is just assuming an average roll.

Not to sound snide, but just trying to help, look up the definitions of the two options, and you'll see the big difference.

Quasqueton

 

[Stalker0]

I guess I ask like things with spot or listen checks, wouldn't that kind of give away, say an ambush or something? Bob is walking along, ok roll a spot, what for, no reason..

Actually yes, sometimes you should have your players roll spot checks for no reason...it will help get them out of the (okay guys I know there's something here, even if I failed my spot check).

In general though, you do give away that there's something going on. And that's fine, it instantly gets the players attention, gets the adrenaline going, etc. There are three things that get players going the most when its out of the blue: 1) Roll a spot check, 2) Roll Initiative, 3) Roll a Will Save

 

[ken-ichi]

If the players want to metagame a little by being more curious or careful when you call for a Spot check even if they all fail, then use that tactic against them now and then.
Use the metagame reaction to heighten tension when you want it. A strange shadow lurking in the corner, a shake of a bush with no wind, etc... just to get them riled up a bit and more in character.

 

[Goolpsy]

i wouldn't say that it matters much if you give away an ambush.... it just plays the players roleplaying skills... "i know its there, but i can't respond to such offgame thoughts"

 

[JVisgaitis]

There's a great article in the new Dungeon magazine about this. It explains when to roll for Spot, Search, and Listen checks. I'd check it out if you get a chance. Even if you don't bu the magazine, just read the article like I did...

 

[irdeggman]

You are thinking of Take 20.

Take 10 is just assuming an average roll.

Not to sound snide, but just trying to help, look up the definitions of the two options, and you'll see the big difference.

Quasqueton

Ahh but if you read teh "color text" in the PHB (pg 65) - not included in the definition section nor in the SRD you get a clearer picture (at least to me). It also serves as an explanation as to why you can't take 10 when distracted or threatened.


From PHB pg 65

Taking 10: When your character is not being threatened or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure —you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn’t help (such as using Climb to ascend a knotted rope, or using Heal to give a wounded PC long-term care). For example, Krusk the barbarian has a Climb skill modifier of +6 (4 ranks, +3 Strength modifier, –1 penalty for wearing studded leather armor). The steep, rocky slope he’s climbing has a Climb DC of 10. With a little care, he can take 10 and succeed automatically. But partway up the slope, a goblin scout begins pelting him with sling stones. Krusk needs to make a Climb check to get up to the goblin, and this time he can’t simply take 10. If his player rolls 4 or higher on 1d20, he succeeds.