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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 7289299" data-attributes="member: 6779196">This issue is resolved by a confluence of a couple of unspoken assumptions in D&D.1. Dice should only be rolled when there is a reasonable chance of success, a reasonable chance of failure, and consequences for failure. This is why you don't ask players for Dexterity checks to tie their shoes, or Strength checks to lift their own weapons. The flipside of that is, when a player asks if they can break down the magically sealed mithral door with a Strength check, you tell them no. Doesn't matter what number you roll on your d20, it's not possible to do.2. Some checks require a relevant Proficiency and/or equipment to even attempt. You can't pick a lock if you don't have a set of Thieves' Tools and know how to use them. You can't forge a sword if you don't have Smith's Tools and know how to use them. Likewise, you shouldn't be able to research the magical macguffin if you can't read the language the books about it are written in and know what the words mean. It would be well within the DM's purview to require Arcana Proficiency in order to even attempt a roll to research high-level arcane magic, or to require a battering ram to attempt to break down a barred door.3. A character must be capable of attempting an action themselves to be able to Help another character do it. This isn't explicitly stated, but it should be obvious. You can't help the sentry keep watch if you're blind, and likewise you shouldn't be able to help the woodsman track his quarry if you don't know how to track. Players using the Help action should need to meet the same requirements the character performing the action needs to meet to attempt the check in the first place.4. Some things are one-person jobs. The lock only has room for one set of thieves' tools in it, and I'm sorry, but rubbing the rogue's shoulders and whispering words of encouragement isn't going to improve his chances success. If anything, it might be distracting.</blockquote>

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