D&D General Testing Players

[Reynard]

So the following ad came across my feed:

What do you think?

I am opposed. I don't think you should try and test a player versus their character's ability. We abstract for a reason. I once presented a player with a Sodoku puzzle as a proxy for their character trying to disarm a melting down nuclear reactor in Mutant Future. They balked, and were right to, IMO.

 

[Mallus]

It think this is as subjective as it gets. You should 'test' a group in the manner they enjoy being tested. For some people this means tactical combat challenges. For others, riddles and Sudoku and the like. And then there's the lot who want a Night at the Improv! (that me).

 

[Stormonu]

It looks like it would be a fun side game, but not something I would inflict on the players (esp. the rogue). We’re doing TTRPG, not LARP.

 

[iserith]

Maybe fun for a one-off gimmick, but that's about it for me.

 

[el-remmen]

A bad solution to a problem that I am not sure really exists.

 

[Greg Benage]

I've used Jenga. It was fun.

 

[Mort]

Possibly funny as a one off joke (depending on the group) but that's about it!

 

[J.Quondam]

Great idea, especially when the player of the impatient barbarian grabs the thing and smashes it on the floor, screaming "Grog smash door!!"

 

[Professor Murder]

For DnD? No.
For a LARP. Yes.

 

[LordEntrails]

Bad assumption, or at least I found the max lockpicing skill issue to only be relevant to 3/3.5. And it was not limited to just that skill either. in 5E I have lots of non-rogues take thieves tools proficiency with their background.

But in general, using player ability in place of character ability is a bad idea. Of course their are exception to that, but as said before, that depends on the players enjoying such replacements.