D&D 5E How do you set DCs?

[clearstream]

I'm curious about what rubrics folk follow to set DCs? Do you just use DC 10? Do you have factors in mind that consistently establish a DC? Do you roll 4d6 and keep the two lowest for moderate and three highest for hard?

What procedure do you follow in setting DCs?

 

[Stoutstien]

I set it from the 8-16 range depending on circumstances then subtract 2 because the D20 is too heavy.

 

[Atomoctba]

10 for something easy, but not trivial; 15 for something from moderate to hard; 20 to something really hard. That is it. No complicated math. Ad hoc in most situations.

If it is really easy (DC 5), I almost never call a roll. Just assume it is a success.

EDIT: Correcting bad grammar and adding a new paragraph.

 

[jgsugden]

I use the DMG DCs as a guide:

Spoiler

Typical DCs
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30

Players do not need to roll if their bonus is within 10 and they have no pressure on them. I just give it to them. If they have assistance, they get that flat +5 bonus so they can achieve it if they are within 15 of the DC. If they are under pressure, they need to roll.

I only allow someone to offer assistance / aid if their ability bonus is within 5 of the one performing the task, or they roll and get within 5 of the DC.

A very easy task is something you only screw up if you are under pressure and get unlucky. An easy task is something most people do not screw up, regardless of training, unless they're under pressure. A moderate task is something that you often do not get right unless you have training - I think of it as entry level professional tasks. A hard task is something that an entry level professional would struggle to do, but a seasoned professional would handle with some effort and preparation, especially with help. A very hard task is something that seasoned professionals might try and fail, but might succeed at times. A nearly impossible task requires luck on top of great experience.

I often use DCs 12, 17, 22, and 27 for gradiants between the set DCs. A DC 12 (moderately easy) task is something that amateurs generally fail at, but you can do with a little training or natural skill. A DC 17 (moderately hard) task is something that a good entry level professional can do, but others fail. A DC 22 (harder) task is a difficult task for a seasoned professional. A DC 27 (brutal) task is something something that a master might attempt with lots of preparation.

[Edit in: Plumbing examples: Very easy - Replace TP in a TP holder. Easy task: fix a flapper valve in a toilet that has a caught chain. Moderately easy task: Change the length of the flapper chain to reduce how often it gets stuck. Moderate: Replace a fill valve in a toilet. Moderately hard: Replace a toilet. Hard: Replace a bathtub with a shower. Harder: Turn a closet into a bathroom. Very Hard: Build an aethetically pleasing bathroom with transparent walls, floors and ceilings. Brutal: Build a bathroom that doesn't require magic, emptying, sewage lines, septic tanks, etc... and is safe. Nearly impossible: Build a water clock that is accurate to the second and functions forever without maintanence. [Edit out]

I also have set DCs up to 40(!) for certain tasks that were meant to be impossible, but the PCs are high level experts receiving bardic inspiration, etc... An example of a DC 40 task that a PC made was done by a high level Expert in Arcana (+12) with a 22 Intelligence (+6) that had bardic inspiration (+d12) and guidance (+d4). His highest roll was potentially a 54, but expected result was 38 - this was an Arcana roll to figure out how to turn off an ancient construct without using magic - negating a major combat near the end of a campaign without using a lot of resources.

I do not think about the ability bonus of the PC attempting the task when setting a DC. That just makes the investment they put into their ability score irrelevant if I am offsetting the DC of the challenge by their ability score bonus. I'd rather they breeze through a challenge due to having invested in an amazing bonus.

 

[AnotherGuy]

What procedure do you follow in setting DCs?

If I'm setting DC's then I've assessed the difficulty of the task/obstacle to be risk-worthy and thus a roll is required. Character level plays no part in the decision-making process for me.
I usually decide what would the DC 10 benchmark equate to for that particular task/obstacle and take stock of factors which notably increase the difficulty of the task/obstacle in the fiction. If the PC's have any realisable benefits I would allow for Advantage on the roll.

As an example for Dexterity(Acrobatics) or Strength(Athletics) checks, player can select.

[05] Crossing a wooden bridge (NO ROLL)
[08] Crossing a wooden rickety bridge (NO ROLL)
[10] Crossing a slippery wooden rickety bridge
[12] Crossing a slippery, unstable, wooden rickety bridge
[15] Crossing a slippery, unstable, wooden rickety bridge in the middle of violent winds (possible fantastical location)
[18] Crossing a slippery, unstable, wooden rickety bridge, in the middle of violent winds and a blinding fog (possible fantastical location)
[20] Crossing, in haste, a slippery, unstable, wooden rickety bridge in the middle of violent winds and a blinding fog (likely fantastical location)

Using safety gear would likely provide Advantage on the roll, except in [20] since the obstacle was performed with haste, which means there was likely no time for preparation.
In this type of scenario failures would usually result in a fail forward or success with complication.
If a second roll is called for, and that was a further fail, then I'd max the complication or see the person fall off the bridge.

As an example for Intelligence (Knowledge) checks

[05] Recognise the creature
[10] As above, aware of natural attacks, defences and abilities, knowledge of basic lore
[15] As above, aware of supernatural attacks, defences and abilities, knowledge of advanced lore
[20] As above, aware of possible weaknesses, knowledge of esoteric lore
[25] As above, knowledge about this specific creature's past (named creature)

 

[Viking Bastard]

In general, I use 10 / 15 / 20, with the occasional 5 or 25

 

[clearstream]

In general, I use 10 / 15 / 20, with the occasional 5 or 25

Do you have any rubric for deciding which?

 

[Krachek]

My 3 steps.
Does it look like an auto success?
Does it look like an impossible task?
Then, how hard, easy, hard, in between, or crazy? 5,10,15,20 or 25.

 

[iserith]

Unless it's a contest, I use 10, 15, or 20 as advised by the DMG. No reason to get more granular than that in my view. Setting the DC follows me deciding if the approach proposed by the player has an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Do you have any rubric for deciding which?

10 is for easy tasks, 15 is the default, 20 is for hard tasks

Occasionally, I'll throw out a 25 if the PCs want to do something I figure is doable, but slim chance. I never initiate such rolls, though. I'm sure I've thrown out a 30 sometime, but I don't remember when.

And I will also occasionally throw out a 5, but in general I don't find them worth the check. When it happens, it's because that while the task may be very easy, the repercussion for failing are catastrophic