Unified DC's for faster resolution

[Sadrik]

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a unified DC system in 4e. One where we wouldn't have to check the book for a DC for that specific skill's DC.
Something like:
Routine 10
Easy 15
Hard 20
Difficult 25
Impossible 30
Epic 40

No book lookup just assign a DC as the DM and wala!

So, three task resolutions: a DC based on above chart, an opposed roll or a roll vs a defense.

Oh that would be so nice.

 

[JDJblatherings]

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a unified DC system in 4e. One where we wouldn't have to check the book for a DC for that specific skill's DC.
Something like:
Routine 10
Easy 15
Hard 20
Difficult 25
Impossible 30
Epic 40

No book lookup just assign a DC as the DM and wala!

So, three task resolutions: a DC based on above chart, an opposed roll or a roll vs a defense.

Oh that would be so nice.

a DC of 30 is hardly impossible by 5th level. But yes a generally good idea.

 

[davethegame]

If I understand your suggestion, then you mean use the terminology to define skill limits?

Like "jumping over a 5 foot gap is a routine (10) check, climbing up 10 feet is an easy (15) check" ?

Generally, I think people are going to want specific limits as defined by the skill being referenced. Many players want to know what their exact jumping distances are and that's always going to need table lookups. Sounds like an easy house rule, though, if you don't like the minutiae of skills just for the DM to assign one of those categories you suggest to avoid looking anything up.

Personally, I like gradiated skill DCs, but mostly to prevent the meta-game of players realizing that the only numbers that matter are multiples of 5.

 

[Warbringer]

a DC of 30 is hardly impossible by 5th level. But yes a generally good idea.

Actually, if the new new skill system goes as rumored I think the above is good, assuming +3 bonus for trained in a skill

For skilled, 50% chance of success at

Easy - 1st
Hard - around 5th
Difficult around 11th
Impossible around 17th
Epic 30th

 

[Eldragon]

You mean you don't make up the DCs for everything on the fly? I guess I have been cheating as a DM for years, and no one has noticed.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

If I understand your suggestion, then you mean use the terminology to define skill limits?

I think he means that all rolls will be on the same scale. In 3e, a DC 25 is fairly easy for a skill roll, slightly harder for an attack roll, and very difficult for a saving throw. From the look of things, in 4e it'll be the same difficulty for all types of rolls.

In 4e, it looks like all numbers will be calculated by: 1 per 2 levels + attribute bonus + class bonus (and maybe + magic item bonus, though that's not certain).

 

[Victim]

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a unified DC system in 4e. One where we wouldn't have to check the book for a DC for that specific skill's DC.
Something like:
Routine 10
Easy 15
Hard 20
Difficult 25
Impossible 30
Epic 40

No book lookup just assign a DC as the DM and wala!

So, three task resolutions: a DC based on above chart, an opposed roll or a roll vs a defense.

Oh that would be so nice.

DCs like that are basically meaningless, IMO.

 

[Sadrik]

a DC of 30 is hardly impossible by 5th level. But yes a generally good idea.

DC 30 by 5th level?

Lets see:
Base Roll (1d20) + Trained (+5) + Stat (+4) + 5th Level Bonus (+2) = 1d20+11 vs. 30

So, that means on a 19 or 20 you can do it. No not impossible but damn hard and that is with an 18 stat. If not trained it is only 1d20+6 and that is impossible.

 

[Sadrik]

If I understand your suggestion, then you mean use the terminology to define skill limits?

Like "jumping over a 5 foot gap is a routine (10) check, climbing up 10 feet is an easy (15) check" ?

Kind of... more like this is an easy jump because it is about 5 feet and its not slippery ground or anything so routine (10) and this wall is an easy (15) wall to climb lots of foot and hand holds.
In general, I want to make the DC's more abstract and let them be more fluid. Not in every case though.

I think that Defenses (AC, fort, ref, will) should be very granular and be based on an equation. But skill checks- I don't want an equation, I very much dislike having to look up how many minuses per 10 feat a listen check gets versus the DC I assigned and figuring out that kind of mumbo jumbo. Does anybody do this kind of equation DC math when playing? Remove it, and make a very simple system that gets the same results every time without depending on if the DM is willing to put all the table look ups into their table-top experience.

 

[BlueBlackRed]

I certainly like the idea, and I think that was the goal in 3E.
A goal that I think was kind of forgotten until, oh about 2 years ago.