D&D 5E When do you hide and when do you reveal DCs?

[Brotton Goodfellow]

I give em the AC of the enemies to avoid being asked every turn if a 13 hits or not. I’ll give DC’s for saving throws and ask the group who got under the DC. I’ll then tell those who failed the roll the consequences of their poor life choices. I keep trap DC’s and the like hidden and will sometimes roll their perception and stealth checks for them so they don’t know if something is there or not.

 

[aco175]

I generally just tell them. I used to make them do the dance of guessing all the time and it became tiring for everyone. Although I usually just ask for a Perception check or Investigation check while searching and the players roll before I say, "Anyone roll above 18?"

 

[jmartkdr2]

Depends on how many rolls need to be made against the DC or AC.

One roll? Roll and I'll tell you if it works. You need the whole party, including pets and sidekicks to save against a fireball? "Roll Dex saves, DC is 18." Break point is around four d20s.

I don't announce ACs, but the players usually know by round 3 anyways.

 

[Oofta]

Some DCs I'll give a general idea based on what the PCs can observe using passive values in most cases. Other times they simply don't know. Depending what the check is (i.e. insight) they may not know if they succeeded or failed.

For ACs, again I'll give a general idea, after a round or two I'll just yell them. I also give general idea of remaining HP, but not specifics.

If they need to make a save I just let them know the number.

 

[CleverNickName]

I usually keep them hidden. They'll find out soon enough, and I like to keep as much suspense as possible until that happens.

 

[iserith]

I freely give AC and DCs for both saves and ability checks prior to the roll and say what happens on a success or failure if that's not clear.

 

[Charlaquin]

When do I tell the player the DC (or AC)? After I call for the player to roll and before I tell them what’s at stake if they fail.

 

[overgeeked]

So this came up at my game this week and it has me thinking.

When do you reveal the DC for a roll made by the PCs? Do you tell them say AC or the DC for a saving throw or skill check before the roll? After the roll? Wait until after the encounter is over? Not reveal at all, just success or failure?

I habitually hide DCs for the most part, and when I recently put it to my players if I should just reveal all, there was pushback.

Thoughts?

Depends. If it’s something that’s easily handled and a one-off, I’ll keep it to myself. So the DC on an out-of-combat skill check, secret. In combat, I typically set a scene DC, tell the players, and let them roll against that. With the proviso that boss monsters and the like will be tougher. No reason to keep it a secret. In a round or two they’ll know all the ACs involved anyway.

 

[Maxperson]

So this came up at my game this week and it has me thinking.

When do you reveal the DC for a roll made by the PCs? Do you tell them say AC or the DC for a saving throw or skill check before the roll? After the roll? Wait until after the encounter is over? Not reveal at all, just success or failure?

I habitually hide DCs for the most part, and when I recently put it to my players if I should just reveal all, there was pushback.

Thoughts?

I will occasionally reveal a DC during a particularly important roll if it will raise the drama tension. Nothing like everyone at the table standing up and bending over the table to see what the roll is as it happens, rather than waiting for the one rolling to announce the number.

 

[robus]

Whilst I don‘t like to reveal the number (at least initially) I like to give guidance: “the creature looks hard to hit”, “that should be easy to accomplish”, as going straight to numbers is a bit jarring in the narrative for me.