There is no result on a check that is a guaranteed success, and also none that is an automatic failure, but the GM may still judge some actions as a “sure thing” or an “impossible task.” These actions will automatically succeed or fail without any die rolls.
When to Roll the Dice
This leads to a very important question: when should you roll a check, and why? There is no perfect answer to this question, since it depends on the kind of game that you’re playing. For our purposes, we will use three general guidelines. It is the job of the GM to use these guidelines, as well as his own judgment, to determine whether an action requires a roll of the dice. As a suggestion, if you can answer “yes” to two or more of the following three questions, you should roll the dice:
Is the check interesting?
Roll the dice when the check will make the game session more interesting. Checks can result in a wide variety of results, from tremendous success to crushing failure. Does the possibility of these results and the tension it creates make the game more interesting? If so, make the check. If no one at the table cares about the result of the check, don’t bother making it. As a GM, you may need to narrate either a spectacular success or a horrible failure with any roll of the dice. Can you do that? If not, it’s probably best not to roll for it.
Is the check important?
Do the results of the check significantly affect the action? Is there something at stake that really matters to the game? If so, make a check. If not, don’t waste the time. As a specific example: if a player specifically requests a die roll to be made, it is something that is important to them, and so should be considered an important check. Further, players tell the GM what kind of checks they want to make by the skills they learn. A player who spends many points developing skill in Profession: cooking is saying they want the opportunity to use and test that ability—that it’s important to them, in effect.
Can you abide by the results?
Finally, once you roll the dice, you’re opening up the possibility for any kind of result. The GM needs to ask himself if he’s ready for that possibility. Sometimes the outcome of an entire evening’s play, or even an entire campaign hinges on one action. Are you prepared to roll the dice and accept the results? If so, make the roll. If not, resolve the action some other way.
If You’re Not Rolling the Dice
Any time the GM decides not to roll the dice for an action, it still has to be adjudicated in some fashion. As a general rule, if the GM is not rolling for a check, and this is not simply because the action is impossible, the character should succeed. Any time the GM feels otherwise, it is likely a situation where at least one of the questions: “is the check important,” can be answered with a “yes,” and so the GM should strongly consider rolling for it. Deciding how to handle this kind of a situation requires discussion between the GM and the players, so that everyone is on the same page concerning how the game will be played. Once again, there isn’t a right or wrong answer for how to handle this situation, just an answer that will satisfy you and your group.
