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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 7160138" data-attributes="member: 97077">A character doesn't have a chance of success unless the player puts him or her in the position to succeed. That means stating a goal and approach appropriate to overcoming the challenge. So, using your example, negotiating the release of a captive means the player must state an argument and, if that argument doesn't succeed or fail outright, make an appropriate ability check. Coming up with an effective argument is the challenge (regardless of the difficulty which is a separate thing). If the DM does not require the argument to be stated and just calls for a check (or allows the player to dictate when checks will be made), then it's not "challenging the character," - it's removing the challenge in its entirety. Which is fine if that's how you like to roll. But that's a game without challenge (at least in that instance).If I had players that wanted to go to the dice instead of use their noodles to come up with answers to puzzles and riddles - and make no mistake, the negotiation for the captive is just another form of riddle, essentially - I would then have a conversation with them about whether they enjoyed that sort of content. After all, I don't want to present things the players don't enjoy and maybe exploration or social interaction challenges should be minimized in favor of combat challenges. But "challenge the characters?" Nah. Not a thing.</blockquote>