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Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Should players be aware of their own high and low rolls?
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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8824486" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>This is a very key thing here.</p><p></p><p>There should be a roll regardless, because while you-as-DM know the outcome is certain t<strong>he player/PC does not</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Example: PC is sneaking across the grounds of a manor house, scouting a possible means of entrance for the party. You-as-DM know there's no opposition present at the time and that the place is deserted, but the PC (and thus player) does not. So, I'll roll anyway (stealth rolls are secret) and narrate the results e.g. "You're real quiet crossing the grounds - what now?" or "That turned out quite a bit noisier than you'd like - what next?", as even though in fact there's nothing there, those results might affect their next action and-or how long it takes.</p><p></p><p>Except as noted above there's often going to be times when they simply don't and can't know what's at stake, if anything.</p><p></p><p>It's perfect information, however, in deciding whether to make that roll or to bail out. Or do you only tell the DC once the player has committed to the roll and can't back out?</p><p></p><p>Why? What stops them from looking just for the hell of it, or because they've imagined something that isn't really there?</p><p></p><p>Here's the metagame bit, though: by not rolling you've just outright told them there's nothing to be found there, when in the fiction they wouldn't and couldn't know that for sure.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8824486, member: 29398"] This is a very key thing here. There should be a roll regardless, because while you-as-DM know the outcome is certain t[B]he player/PC does not[/B]. Example: PC is sneaking across the grounds of a manor house, scouting a possible means of entrance for the party. You-as-DM know there's no opposition present at the time and that the place is deserted, but the PC (and thus player) does not. So, I'll roll anyway (stealth rolls are secret) and narrate the results e.g. "You're real quiet crossing the grounds - what now?" or "That turned out quite a bit noisier than you'd like - what next?", as even though in fact there's nothing there, those results might affect their next action and-or how long it takes. Except as noted above there's often going to be times when they simply don't and can't know what's at stake, if anything. It's perfect information, however, in deciding whether to make that roll or to bail out. Or do you only tell the DC once the player has committed to the roll and can't back out? Why? What stops them from looking just for the hell of it, or because they've imagined something that isn't really there? Here's the metagame bit, though: by not rolling you've just outright told them there's nothing to be found there, when in the fiction they wouldn't and couldn't know that for sure. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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Should players be aware of their own high and low rolls?
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