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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 6625476" data-attributes="member: 97077">According to the Basic Rules (page 3), the basic conversation of the game is:1. The DM describes the environment.2. The players describe what they want to do.3. The DM narrates the results of the adventurers actions.Somewhere between 2 and 3, the Basic Rules tell us (page 58) that the DM must decide if the action has an uncertain outcome. If the DM determines that there is uncertainty, then the DM calls for an appropriate ability check. A skill may or may not apply to this check at the DM's discretion. The check might also be a group check or a passive check (page 59), depending on the players' stated approach.The DM must also decide what the difficulty class (DC) will be - the number that must be rolled to determine if the check is a success or failure. While the DM can set this number to anything between 5 (very easy) to 30 (nearly impossible), the game works fine if the DM never chooses a DC other than 10 (easy), 15 (medium), or 20 (hard).Further, the Basic Rules also tell us (page 57) that the DM must determine whether or not the circumstances of the action and situation warrant applying Advantage or Disadvantage to the check.Finally, it's important that the DM consider the stakes - what success and failure look like - prior to adjudication. A common complaint about D&D's resolution system is that it produces boring results e.g. a character does a thing or fails to do a thing. While this is fine in some situations, in others it falls quite flat and produces outcomes that are less desirable. Therefore, the DM should consider applying what the Basic Rules call "progress combined with a setback" (page 58) or what the Dungeon Master's Guide refers to as "success at a cost" (page 242). It is also a generally good practice to make the players aware of the stakes prior to the roll so that they know the consequences of success and failure. This helps make sure that everyone's expectations about the situation are in line and the players don't feel blindsided because they have a different understanding of what's at stake.Remember, the DMG (page 237) tells us that a task must have a meaningful consequence for failure in order for some kind of roll to be appropriate. So if either the players describe a task where the outcome is not uncertain (e.g. it's trivially easy or impossible) or there is no meaningful consequence for failure, then the DM should not call for an ability check. Simply narrate the result that makes sense in context. Skillful players will work to remove the uncertainty as to the outcome and/or the meaningful consequence for failure because rolling is very risky due to the swing on a d20. Players should not be asking to make ability checks. That is for the DM to decide alone.In this guide, I'm going to provide example adjudications for all ability (skill) checks and some tips you can use in a more general sense to adjudicate in a way that makes your game more fun, exciting, and memorable. My hope is that this resource is both a guide to help you run your game and a dialogue where we can all discuss methods for performing this most important function of the DM's role.Now, let's meet our 1st-level adventuring party, who will be the focus of the examples provided in this guide:Sacred Cow, a minotaur hermit cleric[spoiler]Ability ScoresStr 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 8SkillsAthletics +4, History +6 (Blessings of Knowledge), Insight +6, Medicine +6, Nature +6, Religion +6 (Blessings of Knowledge)ToolsNavigator's Tools, Vehicles (Water)[/spoiler]Lack-Toes the Intolerant, a half-orc gladiator fighter[spoiler]Ability ScoresStr 16, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 13SkillsAcrobatics +2, Athletics +5, Intimidation +3, Peformance +3, Survival +3ToolsDisguise Kit, Musical Instrument (Flute)[/spoiler]Chuck Dagger, a human criminal rogue[spoiler]Ability ScoresStr 8, Dex, 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 14SkillsAcrobatics +5, Deception +4, Investigation +4, Perception +5 (expertise), Persuasion +4, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +7 (expertise)ToolsDisguise Kit, Gaming Set (Dice), Thieves' ToolsFeatObservant[/spoiler]Rosemary Thyme, a half-elf sage wizard[spoiler]Ability ScoresStr 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 14SkillsAnimal Handling +4, Arcana +5, History +5, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Persuasion +4ToolsNone[/spoiler]Please feel free to ask questions in this guide or suggest additional situations or topics to be included. Anything of note will be added to the indexed topics. Let's keep our discussions friendly, productive, and on-topic. Thanks for reading!Index of Topics<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625477&viewfull=1#post6625477" target="_blank">Strength</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625478&viewfull=1#post6625478" target="_blank">Dexterity</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625479&viewfull=1#post6625479" target="_blank">Constitution</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625480&viewfull=1#post6625480" target="_blank">Intelligence</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625484&viewfull=1#post6625484" target="_blank">Wisdom</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?453707-How-to-Adjudicate-Actions-in-D-amp-D-5e&p=6625485&viewfull=1#post6625485" target="_blank">Charisma</a></li> </ul>DISCLAIMER: This guide is a reflection of how I personally interpret the rules and goals of play for D&D 5e, combined with over 25 years of practical dungeon-mastering experience. Other DMs may adjudicate actions differently based on their own understanding of the game and their own experiences. You are well-advised to adjudicate actions in the way you and your players find to be the most fun.</blockquote>

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