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Reliable Talent. What the what?
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<blockquote data-quote="redrick" data-source="post: 7293992" data-attributes="member: 6777696"><p>I think tier jumps have a way of calling the DM out on somewhat lazy adventure design. I remember in my first 5E campaign when my Sorcerer picked up Fireball. Up until that point, I did a lot of mook mobs. "Oh fine, you can take 4 goblins, but what about 10 goblins?" It worked. And then we hit 5th level and a fireball could take out 40 mounted orcs. I was forced to be a little smarter about how I did my encounter design. In the meantime, the Sorcerer got to win a lot of combats.</p><p></p><p>Skill checks that succeed on a roll of 10 or better are not challenging the Rogue. They are keeping the Rogue busy, and possibly keeping them on their toes, but, at the end of the night, if all your Rogue did was pop off a few DC20 locks with a roll of 8, they are not going to be telling stories about that at your next session, not after the first few sessions where they brag about how their 10th level character has +12 on Thieve's Tools. (Which is less about your adventure design and more about their awesome character design anyway.)</p><p></p><p>You just have to be more creative. Don't jack all your DCs up to 25 and above — that's treadmill nonsense. Make sure you are asking for more than skill checks. Don't let your players just "Roll perception on it. Ok, roll thieve's tools on it. Ok, roll sleight of hand on it." Skill checks are all about doing interesting things — the Rogue just gets to <em>succeed</em> at the interesting things they come up with. Make sure you are presenting opportunities to use more than the same 4 skills in your adventure. Present the player characters with challenges that require cooperation, or would allow the Rogue an opportunity to auto-succeed with Reliable Talent, but put themselves in particular danger to get in the right position to do so, etc.</p><p></p><p>"<em>It's a DC 20 lock.</em> Yeah, I got it. <em>But you'll need to climb up a steep cliff face to get to it.</em> Yeah, I got it. <em>But you'll need to be balancing on a fingerwidth ledge while you do it.</em> Yep, I got it. <em>But you'll be standing over a pit of lava and the crushing heat makes you feel faint — give me a constitution save!</em> Umm... 11, +6, does a 17 do it? <em>You took expertise in Thieve's Tools, Athletics, Acrobatics, and you took the Resilient feat in Constitution saving throws?</em> Yep. <em>You were made to unlock this safe.</em>"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="redrick, post: 7293992, member: 6777696"] I think tier jumps have a way of calling the DM out on somewhat lazy adventure design. I remember in my first 5E campaign when my Sorcerer picked up Fireball. Up until that point, I did a lot of mook mobs. "Oh fine, you can take 4 goblins, but what about 10 goblins?" It worked. And then we hit 5th level and a fireball could take out 40 mounted orcs. I was forced to be a little smarter about how I did my encounter design. In the meantime, the Sorcerer got to win a lot of combats. Skill checks that succeed on a roll of 10 or better are not challenging the Rogue. They are keeping the Rogue busy, and possibly keeping them on their toes, but, at the end of the night, if all your Rogue did was pop off a few DC20 locks with a roll of 8, they are not going to be telling stories about that at your next session, not after the first few sessions where they brag about how their 10th level character has +12 on Thieve's Tools. (Which is less about your adventure design and more about their awesome character design anyway.) You just have to be more creative. Don't jack all your DCs up to 25 and above — that's treadmill nonsense. Make sure you are asking for more than skill checks. Don't let your players just "Roll perception on it. Ok, roll thieve's tools on it. Ok, roll sleight of hand on it." Skill checks are all about doing interesting things — the Rogue just gets to [I]succeed[/I] at the interesting things they come up with. Make sure you are presenting opportunities to use more than the same 4 skills in your adventure. Present the player characters with challenges that require cooperation, or would allow the Rogue an opportunity to auto-succeed with Reliable Talent, but put themselves in particular danger to get in the right position to do so, etc. "[I]It's a DC 20 lock.[/I] Yeah, I got it. [I]But you'll need to climb up a steep cliff face to get to it.[/I] Yeah, I got it. [I]But you'll need to be balancing on a fingerwidth ledge while you do it.[/I] Yep, I got it. [I]But you'll be standing over a pit of lava and the crushing heat makes you feel faint — give me a constitution save![/I] Umm... 11, +6, does a 17 do it? [I]You took expertise in Thieve's Tools, Athletics, Acrobatics, and you took the Resilient feat in Constitution saving throws?[/I] Yep. [I]You were made to unlock this safe.[/I]" [/QUOTE]
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