What checks do you as DM make for the PCs?

[pogre]

What checks do you make for the PCs? I was thinking of doing search checks for the PCs in my next campaign. What do you think?

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Generally I make their Search, Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, Disable Device, Bluff and Sense Motive checks for them. Although on occasion I will just ask them to make a XXX check and tell me their result (generally when the result will have an impact almost immediately in the game).

Sometimes I get players to make a Will, Fortitude or Reflex save but don't necessarily tell them whether they passed or failed the save.

Other times I get the players to roll a D20 and tell me what they got without telling them to add their Spot, Search or whatever. That way they know that they just made a check for something but for what exactly they don't know. That's always a good way to put the paranoia level up a notch or two.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Wraith Form]

Generally I make their Search, Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, Disable Device, Bluff and Sense Motive checks for them.

** SNIP **

That's always a good way to put the paranoia level up a notch or two.

I mostly agree, including the paranoia thing as he said.

A recent Monte article in Dungeon suggested that Search is what the players roll (as in, they specifically say they're gonna toss a room & search for treasure) vs. Spot, which the DM rolls for them (which is their secret chance to spot a hidden door, etc). Move Silent is something that I'd let a player roll too, as you can tell immediately if your armor is sending sound-tremors all throughout a dungeon corridor or you're marching like a heard of elephants across a 2 meter thick blanket of leaves...

 

[Li Shenron]

Anything that is either more fun or less metagaming if the players don't know the result.

 

[Thanee]

All checks, where the fact that the check is made (even or especially if failed) alone would give them knowledge that their characters would not have.

i.e.
Listen or Spot to notice someone invisible.
Spot to see someone lying in ambush.
Sense Motive to find out that someone is not telling the truth.

Also checks, where the result of the check combined with the knowledge, that it failed, would give them more knowledge than their characters would have.

i.e.
Knowledge checks to identify a creature.
Search checks to find traps.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mark CMG]

What checks do you make for the PCs?

Checks where the outcome is something of which the PCs should not be aware.

 

[amethal]

What checks do you make for the PCs? I was thinking of doing search checks for the PCs in my next campaign. What do you think?

None of them. The players make all their own checks.

I aim to create an atmosphere of openess and trust, as that's the way we like to play D&D, and players making their own rolls helps us with that. For some groups this would be a recipe for disaster, but it works for us.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Sense Motive.

I don't think I roll any others in practice. Maybe appraise if they ever used that skill (since I believe it says for the DM to roll it in the description). In practice its usually just easier to tell them to roll a check. I'm less worried about them acting on the information than I am worried about it being spoilerish for them.

Heh, just last session the wizard PC was flying above the other PCs as they crossed some hilly land that blocked visibility with overland flight, and instead of rolling Spot for him, I told him to roll his Spot (there were giant hunting parties far away). He rolled a 1 and then went on about how pretty the sky was. It was great.

 

[el-remmen]

All appraise, hide, move silently, search, and sense motive checks.

Some listen and spot checks

The occasional save.

 

[genshou]

Appraise and Sense Motive. Occasionally a Will save against a mind-affecting spell, followed by a secret note. I like to roll dice and pass out red herring secret notes occasionlly, just to keep the paranoia high.