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<blockquote data-quote="Stalker0" data-source="post: 5664065" data-attributes="member: 5889">I've tried to come up with a few alternate skill ideas myself the last few months, and my ideas have floated around the same concept Mearls describes.Ultimately, I think its a better way to go than the current numerical based approach.A few points:1) People mention the binary nature of it, but the reality of dnd is once you get past 6th level or so this already starts to happen frequently. The skill gap creates the binary nature of the game already by forcing DCs that are too low to be failed by some players, or too high to be passed by others.2) It greatly encourages imagination over mechanics. As Mearls said, players are going to work to think of various ways to lower that DC by one category, because it makes such a huge difference in there ability to succeed.3) It may greatly reduce rolling, especially in areas like social situations. I find that a lot of rolls tend to hinder social situations...but they often call for a fair share of diplomacy/bluff and sense motive checks.With auto DCs, players can determine if an npc is lieing without a roll, or will smiply believe the NPC. This gives the DM some consistency with his plot, and allows him to implement plot points using social situations that he could not have relied on before.4) I do think one aspect this system will need to overcome is the lack of initial fiddling a character can do with it. It will need feats and other things to round out the system, allowing players to do cool tricks, specialize a bit, etc.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Stalker0, post: 5664065, member: 5889"] I've tried to come up with a few alternate skill ideas myself the last few months, and my ideas have floated around the same concept Mearls describes. Ultimately, I think its a better way to go than the current numerical based approach. A few points: 1) People mention the binary nature of it, but the reality of dnd is once you get past 6th level or so this already starts to happen frequently. The skill gap creates the binary nature of the game already by forcing DCs that are too low to be failed by some players, or too high to be passed by others. 2) It greatly encourages imagination over mechanics. As Mearls said, players are going to work to think of various ways to lower that DC by one category, because it makes such a huge difference in there ability to succeed. 3) It may greatly reduce rolling, especially in areas like social situations. I find that a lot of rolls tend to hinder social situations...but they often call for a fair share of diplomacy/bluff and sense motive checks. With auto DCs, players can determine if an npc is lieing without a roll, or will smiply believe the NPC. This gives the DM some consistency with his plot, and allows him to implement plot points using social situations that he could not have relied on before. 4) I do think one aspect this system will need to overcome is the lack of initial fiddling a character can do with it. It will need feats and other things to round out the system, allowing players to do cool tricks, specialize a bit, etc. [/QUOTE]

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