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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7596870" data-attributes="member: 6801845">Let me rephrase.&nbsp; Sometimes only the PC's abilities can overcome an obstacle.&nbsp; If a lock needs to be picked, it's a tool check.&nbsp; There may be other ways of overcoming the obstacle such as using a key or a crowbar of course.The thieve's tools check is a PC challenge resolved by rolling dice and is based on the PC's proficiency.&nbsp; As another example, in my game simple traps can't be overcome by describing how you sniff the door handle and then pour wine on it to get rid of the contact poison. Appropriate checks and associated rolls are going to be needed to discover and disable the trap.&nbsp; You can of course always take an alternate route.I don't view proficiency with a skill or tool all that much differently than proficiency with a weapon.&nbsp; Yes, a +1 sword will add 5% to your chance to hit and a climber's kit will stop you from falling more than 25 feet once you're anchored.&nbsp; But you still need to roll a d20 in all but a few edge cases to hit with the sword and you still need to roll a d20 to climb a wall unless it's a foregone conclusion that you can climb the wall safely.In any case, this was in response to a posting about how climbing a wall requires describing how you're climbing the wall and getting out a climber's kit, and so on and so forth.&nbsp; The vast majority of time I don't care.&nbsp; It's just a wall, make an athletics check to climb unless you have all the time in the world or you can't fall far enough to hurt yourself.&nbsp; If the latter case, you just climb the wall as part of the narration.[EDIT] I think [MENTION=6919838]5ekyu[/MENTION] probably put it better.&nbsp; If a PC's ability and proficiency score do not matter it's a player challenge.&nbsp; If it's something that gets resolved using a PC's stats, it's a PC challenge.&nbsp; In addition I use blended challenges sometimes, especially when it comes to puzzles; if the players are struggling I'll give them hints based on PC's capabilities.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 7596870, member: 6801845"] Let me rephrase. Sometimes only the PC's abilities can overcome an obstacle. If a lock needs to be picked, it's a tool check. There may be other ways of overcoming the obstacle such as using a key or a crowbar of course. The thieve's tools check is a PC challenge resolved by rolling dice and is based on the PC's proficiency. As another example, in my game simple traps can't be overcome by describing how you sniff the door handle and then pour wine on it to get rid of the contact poison. Appropriate checks and associated rolls are going to be needed to discover and disable the trap. You can of course always take an alternate route. I don't view proficiency with a skill or tool all that much differently than proficiency with a weapon. Yes, a +1 sword will add 5% to your chance to hit and a climber's kit will stop you from falling more than 25 feet once you're anchored. But you still need to roll a d20 in all but a few edge cases to hit with the sword and you still need to roll a d20 to climb a wall unless it's a foregone conclusion that you can climb the wall safely. In any case, this was in response to a posting about how climbing a wall requires describing [I]how[/I] you're climbing the wall and getting out a climber's kit, and so on and so forth. The vast majority of time I don't care. It's just a wall, make an athletics check to climb unless you have all the time in the world or you can't fall far enough to hurt yourself. If the latter case, you just climb the wall as part of the narration. [EDIT] I think [MENTION=6919838]5ekyu[/MENTION] probably put it better. If a PC's ability and proficiency score do not matter it's a player challenge. If it's something that gets resolved using a PC's stats, it's a PC challenge. In addition I use blended challenges sometimes, especially when it comes to puzzles; if the players are struggling I'll give them hints based on PC's capabilities. [/QUOTE]

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