D&D 5E I reject your reality and substitute my own!

[MarkB]

True, but I think that can lead to a lot of metagaming and meaningless rolling.

Not asking for a check also leads to metagaming, though. It leads the players to act as though the reality of the situation is certain when their characters wouldn't be in a position to know that.

 

[Shair-afiyun]

Surely that leads to this sort of play:
Player: I wish to search the chest for a trap.
DM: There is no trap, no need to roll.
- 5 minutes later -
Player: I wish to search this different chest for a trap.
DM: Make an investigation check.
Player: Err, 5...
DM: There is no trap.
Player:

Early on have traps that make a click noise for low-level first dungeon they get. Basically telling them click=trap.
Also have a very simple room that is largely empty except a pit trap in the middle, no spikes. Empty room = possibly trapped.
Tell them throughout first dungeon, when they fail to spot an actual trap, "You don't seem to find a trap." Only use the word 'seem' for traps.

Second and third dungeon? Same thing.

Fourth dungeon? Use the same language and clicks. Except there is no trap throughout the whole dungeon.

 

[Fanaelialae]

It's a 3P product, but Nord Games makes several different decks for 5e, one of which is a Luck Deck. The way we use it at my table is when someone rolls a natural 20, they can pull a luck card. They have various benefits, like automatically succeeding on a skill check, but everyone's favorite card is Fortuitous Circumstance. You play that card to (unsurprisingly) dictate a fortuitous circumstance that occurs.

 

[Krachek]

Funny and provocative title. But actually nobody do something to the DM in DnD.

 

[Maxperson]

I feel the player’s pain and wonder why you had them roll in the first place, if there was no chance of failure?

I always have them roll if they search for traps. Having them roll only when there's a trap present is putting a big neon, "TRAP IS HERE!!!!!" sign out.

 

[Maxperson]

It's a 3P product, but Nord Games makes several different decks for 5e, one of which is a Luck Deck. The way we use it at my table is when someone rolls a natural 20, they can pull a luck card. They have various benefits, like automatically succeeding on a skill check, but everyone's favorite card is Fortuitous Circumstance. You play that card to (unsurprisingly) dictate a fortuitous circumstance that occurs.

I bought his treasure decks, fumble deck, encounter decks, luck deck and critical hit deck. So far I've only used the encounter and treasures, but may include some of the other decks this campaign coming up.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Surely that leads to this sort of play:
Player: I wish to search the chest for a trap.
DM: There is no trap, no need to roll.
- 5 minutes later -
Player: I wish to search this different chest for a trap.
DM: Make an investigation check.
Player: Err, 5...
DM: There is no trap.
Player:

In 5e, the rules do state that one only calls for a roll when there is a chance of success, a chance of failure, and a meaningful consequence for failure. Sometimes, a player states they are searching for traps when there are none to be found and there is no time or other pressures - yeah no roll, the adventurers are capable at their jobs. Give them a win and move on to the more exciting parts of the adventure.

But that needn’t be the standard state at all times - which puts Ron Burgandy in his place. Sometimes (often?) there is time pressure (or baddies nearby or other such stakes), in which case the DM can invoke success with a setback on a failed roll. Tell the player the DC and let them know the stakes: 1) on a success I’ll tell you if you find a trap and you’ll know this quickly 2) on a failure, I’ll tell you if you find a trap but the search will take more time/make more noise/cause more distraction than usual and… bad things.

Alternatively, no success on a failure: 2B) not only will I not tell you if there is a trap but time/noise/distraction = bad things.

TL;DR: avoid “nothing happens” as a failure state and your game will run much more smoothly.

 

[tetrasodium]

• Noble feature: Position of Privilege: "Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are w elcom e in high society, and people assum e you have the right to be wherever you are. The com m on folk m ake every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to."
• Outlander feature: wanderer "You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth."
• Toss in the ranger favored terrain "no we don't" stuff too
• edit:There are a couple others that automatically know where things are too ffs

 

[Maxperson]

In 5e, the rules do state that one only calls for a roll when there is a chance of success, a chance of failure, and a meaningful consequence for failure. Sometimes, a player states they are searching for traps when there are none to be found and there is no time or other pressures - yeah no roll, the adventurers are capable at their jobs. Give them a win and move on to the more exciting parts of the adventure.

If there's no trap there, any roll is technically a failure to find one, and being unsure if there's a trap makes it a meaningful failure. And yes, I know that's not what they mean.

The real answer is that this a rulings OVER rules edition and the DMG specifically states that the rules serve the DM, not the other way around. To avoid telling the players that there is in fact a trap present, I have them roll.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I mean, Wish. Most high level spells in some fashion, but especially that one. More regularly, Shield and Counterspell.

Most of the background abilities "just work". It's kind of my problem with them as presented. While it's satisfying to have an ability work that says "you automatically do X", it's not very interesting for an adventure. Sage says you know where to learn something you don't know offhand. Outlander says you never really get lost. It's just odd. I'd like a bit more depth there, I think. Not a lot, but a little.

Some of them would be really weak, to the point of near uselessness, if they were "might work" abilities - especially the 'you know a guy' abilities like the Acolyte's, Criminal's, Soldier's, Sage's or even Far Traveler's (a guy wants to know you) - you have contact, and they are helpful by default. It's not really more specific than that. And they might not work if the right kind of people aren't around (although I'd advise dms against over-using this limitation).

The Outlander one is not like the others, since it applies to a different pillar of play. That's why it's kinda un-fun: it negate a roll you would normally make.

Hermit and Inheritor are also odd ducks but they're also totally dependent on the dm to make useful at all.