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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mal Malenkirk" data-source="post: 131503" data-attributes="member: 834">Taking 20 isn't litterally about rolling 20 times and getting a 20 at the end of the serie.  It's about meticulously doing a task to the best of your abilities even tough it takes you 20 time as long as it usually would.You need to roll a natural 20 (or maybe less if you have the right feat) in order to get a critical threat on a skill.  If you take your time and take a 20 you cannot have the stroke of genius or the adrenalin pumping in your system that would warrant a critical success.  You still get a whooping high skill check.  It just doesn't have that certain panache that superspy display from time to time.If you consider taking 20 as rolling 20 times, from 1 to 20, I'll tell you that it means you critically failed right at the start!  Just as a natural 20 can mean astounding success if activated by an action die, a 1 can spell abysmall failure if the GC spend his own action die to turn a low check into a bungled mess that explodes in your face. The whole concept of critical results is simply anathema to the taking 20 mechanic.  Stress VS Calm.  Life or Death VS No Danger for Failure.  Drama VS Routine.And please spare me the sarcasm until you've read the material we're discussing and understand the concept behind action die and critical success/failure.</blockquote>