Search, Spot, Listen

[KarinsDad]

Interesting concept, I might have to try it out in game someday.

Thanks.

Does anyone have a problem with number of Spot / Listen rolls in the game?

We have 5 PCs and 2 NPC Cohorts in our current group. If I ask for a Spot roll with 7 rolls, someone is bound to roll 18+ (on the die alone, without yet adding the skill total) on average.

I sometimes ask for the Spot roll only for the 1 to 3 PCs in the front of the party, but this seems a bit forcing to me. Any suggestions?

 

[Pickaxe]

Thanks.

Does anyone have a problem with number of Spot / Listen rolls in the game?

We have 5 PCs and 2 NPC Cohorts in our current group. If I ask for a Spot roll with 7 rolls, someone is bound to roll 18+ (on the die alone, without yet adding the skill total) on average.

I sometimes ask for the Spot roll only for the 1 to 3 PCs in the front of the party, but this seems a bit forcing to me. Any suggestions?

IME (which is probably less than that of most others), it's not a problem, especially as level increases. If you're actually dealing with an ambush situation with good ambush creatures, the Hide opposed rolls will be very high (especially if they had time to take 20). As long as the Hide rolls exceed 20, the chances are good that the 18+ Spot roll will be the character with no Spot ranks, rather than the devoted spotter. It always seems to me that my no-Spot sorcerer only spots things when he actually does get the really high roll, whereas the rogue with max ranks and various bonuses notices everything regardless of roll. In any case, you would expect that more people means more chances that something is noticed. Most of my games have 4-5 PCs, so the number of chances to spot/listen are more limited.

Don't forget the increases to DC due to distance. If you don't want to measure out the distance for every character, I don't see a problem with applying a -2 circumstance penalty to the characters not at the front. This way, everyone still gets a roll.

--Axe

 

[Nail]

If you don't want to measure out the distance for every character, I don't see a problem with applying a -2 circumstance penalty to the characters not at the front. This way, everyone still gets a roll.

I'd often follow this sort of procedure, and include the "-5 distraction penalty" as well.

....and yep, occasionally the Wizard would have the highest roll. That was unusual, and memorable when it happened.

 

[Nail]

Does anyone have a problem with number of Spot / Listen rolls in the game?

Not really. Practically all players love rolling dice and telling the group their result. It's sort of a gamer cliche, but there it is.

A related question: "Do you have everyone roll Spot and Listen rolls prior to an encounter? "

I don't. I just select the most appropriate.

 

[urDrakas]

Thanks.

Does anyone have a problem with number of Spot / Listen rolls in the game?

We have 5 PCs and 2 NPC Cohorts in our current group. If I ask for a Spot roll with 7 rolls, someone is bound to roll 18+ (on the die alone, without yet adding the skill total) on average.

I sometimes ask for the Spot roll only for the 1 to 3 PCs in the front of the party, but this seems a bit forcing to me. Any suggestions?

Currently, no as out of my 5 PCs and 2 NPCs two are cursed with the "will not roll over 10" on a d20. And sometimes the NPCs just don't roll. But thats just in this current campaign. Overall I haven't ever had a problem with the number of rolls, as it reflects everyone being alert.

However, asking a spot from a flanking party member, rear guard, or point man is a valid option. They might be the only one in a position to notice anything, just as in real life. But, you do have that "forcing" idea hanging about. I guess just roll with it at this point.

 

[Drowbane]

Personally, I'm over the whole "certain classes get certain skills" thing. I let players choose thier skills in a manor similiar to the Expert NPC class.

Challenge your perceptions indeed!

 

[Abraxas]

Does anyone have a problem with number of Spot / Listen rolls in the game?

We have 5 PCs and 2 NPC Cohorts in our current group. If I ask for a Spot roll with 7 rolls, someone is bound to roll 18+ (on the die alone, without yet adding the skill total) on average.

I sometimes ask for the Spot roll only for the 1 to 3 PCs in the front of the party, but this seems a bit forcing to me. Any suggestions?

I've been using the party roll for a while now. I ask one person to roll and I have each characters spot/listen modifiers written down - I add the mods to the roll and let them know the result.

Seems to work fine for us.

 

[Bad Paper]

Me and my gaming group sometimes wonder why are these not class skills for all classes

Many careers have an emphasis on introspection. e.g. Wizards are supposed to have their noses buried in books; they don't develop a habit of studying their environment.

 

[KarinsDad]

Many careers have an emphasis on introspection. e.g. Wizards are supposed to have their noses buried in books; they don't develop a habit of studying their environment.

You mean the environment that they go out and adventure in most days?

After a decade of walking into caves and getting ambushed, you would think that even a Wizard would start to look around.

But the rules encourage the intelligent Wizard to be stupid.

 

[Huw]

Niche protection. If everybody could do it, the ability to do so would be less cool. Only things that are inherently unimportant (like the skills necessary to make a living embodied in the Craft and Profession skills) to the adventuring lifestyle are allowed to everybody.

The ranger may not be able to kick as much butt as the fighter, but he's got a lot better ability to spot abmushes and notice details. It's all about the balance of coolness.

I completely agree. The ranger is the one who goes "Hark, is that the sound of a goblin treading on a twig half a mile away", and the fighter is the one who goes (a few rounds later), "You were right, it was a goblin". Both spot and listen tend to be reactive skills (i.e. the Dm says "everyone make a listen check"), and as such are very useful.

Also remember that they are used opposed to hide and sneak. If everyone had spot and listen as class skills, rogues wouldn't be as cool.

I'm toying with the idea of letting fighters take special training on their odd levels. E.g. guard training lets them take spot as a class skill, officer training diplomacy, commando training survival, etc.