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<blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 9242323" data-attributes="member: 97077">Unless it's a contest, pretty much all ability check DCs in my game are 10, 15, or 20. I also don't have much of a clue what the PCs have on their sheets. I don't really pay attention to it. After awhile, I might be able to guess which is the more perceptive character, but honestly I might get that wrong. I run or play in enough games that it all blends together for me.Further, in a dungeon crawl, I have a more structured way of doing things typically. While traveling the dungeon, you're either keeping watch for lurking monsters OR traps OR secret doors OR drawing a map, etc., not all of the above. The players have to choose and also be in the position in the marching order to notice any threats (e.g. in the front rank, usually). If the players decide they want the characters to explore an area more thoroughly, then we'll go into rolls, if the approach to the goal has an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure. Often that consequence is no progress and a loss of time - time which is counting down to doom or wandering monster checks. Sometimes it might be progress combined with a setback (and still a loss of time).So in your example, even if I did know those 2 PCs could notice my DC 15 net trap, they'd still have to choose to be searching for traps (with the opportunity cost of being surprised by the flying swords, if the swords are sneaking) and also be in the right position to notice them at all. Otherwise, they have no chance of noticing the trap. Taking away the &quot;always on radar&quot; in favor of meaningful choice works well in my experience.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="iserith, post: 9242323, member: 97077"] Unless it's a contest, pretty much all ability check DCs in my game are 10, 15, or 20. I also don't have much of a clue what the PCs have on their sheets. I don't really pay attention to it. After awhile, I might be able to guess which is the more perceptive character, but honestly I might get that wrong. I run or play in enough games that it all blends together for me. Further, in a dungeon crawl, I have a more structured way of doing things typically. While traveling the dungeon, you're either keeping watch for lurking monsters OR traps OR secret doors OR drawing a map, etc., not all of the above. The players have to choose and also be in the position in the marching order to notice any threats (e.g. in the front rank, usually). If the players decide they want the characters to explore an area more thoroughly, then we'll go into rolls, if the approach to the goal has an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure. Often that consequence is no progress and a loss of time - time which is counting down to doom or wandering monster checks. Sometimes it might be progress combined with a setback (and still a loss of time). So in your example, even if I did know those 2 PCs could notice my DC 15 net trap, they'd still have to choose to be searching for traps (with the opportunity cost of being surprised by the flying swords, if the swords are sneaking) and also be in the right position to notice them at all. Otherwise, they have no chance of noticing the trap. Taking away the "always on radar" in favor of meaningful choice works well in my experience. [/QUOTE]

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