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<blockquote data-quote="HoboGod" data-source="post: 5857508" data-attributes="member: 90920">Dead on to what RUMBLETiGER said, but more to the point: players don't know the details of their failed spot checks by rolling poorly on a spot check. Don't think so much as a DM, take a second to put yourself in the mind of a player.DM: &quot;You're walking threw an old churchyard, everyone roll spot checks.&quot;Cleric: ((This is where the DM gives us a clue in our quest, or maybe some nifty detail about the church. In any case, I have to roll high! Phooey, I rolled a 5.)) &quot;With my spot modifier, I got a 9.&quot;DM: &quot;You didn't notice it&quot;Rogue: ((I bet there's a trap... DAMN, I rolled a 6)) &quot;I got an 11&quot;DM: &quot;You don't notice it, either.&quot;Wizard: ((There's probably some treasure here, with everyone failing their rolls it will be all mine! Oh no, I only rolled a 6!)) &quot;I got a crummy 8.&quot;DM: &quot;Sorry.&quot;Fighter: ((Oh, hell, things are about to get hairy, maybe a horde of zombies. Ouch, they'll get a surprise round for sure, I only rolled a 7.)) &quot;I also got a 9.&quot;DM: &quot;Nobody notices it and you all continue moving.&quot;In this case, sure, somebody guesses that a battle is going to happen, but they have no idea what kind of monster and even if they did, they wouldn't be any better prepared for it. Failing a spot check doesn't tingle your players' spider senses, it injects mystery, fear, and paranoia into an overconfident party taking on level-based encounters.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="HoboGod, post: 5857508, member: 90920"] Dead on to what RUMBLETiGER said, but more to the point: players don't know the details of their failed spot checks by rolling poorly on a spot check. Don't think so much as a DM, take a second to put yourself in the mind of a player. DM: "You're walking threw an old churchyard, everyone roll spot checks." Cleric: ((This is where the DM gives us a clue in our quest, or maybe some nifty detail about the church. In any case, I have to roll high! Phooey, I rolled a 5.)) "With my spot modifier, I got a 9." DM: "You didn't notice it" Rogue: ((I bet there's a trap... DAMN, I rolled a 6)) "I got an 11" DM: "You don't notice it, either." Wizard: ((There's probably some treasure here, with everyone failing their rolls it will be all mine! Oh no, I only rolled a 6!)) "I got a crummy 8." DM: "Sorry." Fighter: ((Oh, hell, things are about to get hairy, maybe a horde of zombies. Ouch, they'll get a surprise round for sure, I only rolled a 7.)) "I also got a 9." DM: "Nobody notices it and you all continue moving." In this case, sure, somebody guesses that a battle is going to happen, but they have no idea what kind of monster and even if they did, they wouldn't be any better prepared for it. Failing a spot check doesn't tingle your players' spider senses, it injects mystery, fear, and paranoia into an overconfident party taking on level-based encounters. [/QUOTE]

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