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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 1611227" data-attributes="member: 1465">It depends a lot  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> . Players love rolling dice, but sometimes it's just best they don't know the result. At the same time, often the characters could be able to percieve that they have performed well or badly, like a character rolling 1 in Disguise may notice that his face looks totally fake. A couple of examples...Move Silently - Normally it's ok to let them roll openly. A character is trying to sneak past the guards, player rolls a 1, the character noticed that he was not very silent, perhaps he dropped his shield or hit an object on the floor... it doesn't really mean that he failed, because perhaps the guards rolled even worse, but he knows that he wasn't as silent as he wanted. Often the consequence of a failed Move Silently check is immediate and there's no point in hiding the result.Listen - (1) The PCs roll to hear the ambushing bandits are about to attack (you want to determine if they are surprised or not): open roll since in one way or another, they are going to find out!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> (2) The PCs roll to hear someone invisible following them: hidden roll since it may not have immediate consequence (the invisible creature is not attacking), and it's important they don't have any clue. In this case you are not even letting them know that you are rolling a Listen check.(3) The PCs are eavesdropping at a door to check is someone is in the next room: hidden roll, although it probably doesn't apply if they are taking 10 or 20.Search - IMHO it's best to keep it always hidden. This skill is most often used with take 10 or 20, but when it's not it's too easy to roll again if you see the result was low.Other skills, and accounting what happens if you know you roll badly (it's important that if you cannot retry, knowing you rolled a 1 doesn't help you; if you can retry, it will definitely make you reroll, but also you could always take 20):Appraise - Open: you know you are not very sure of the value (the % result is still hidden instead)Balance - Open: no need to hideBluff - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective result; you know you could have spit a better lieClimb - Open: no need to hideConcentration - Open: no need to hideCraft - Open: no need to hideDecipher Script - Open: the PHB says to hide, but it's enough to hide the Wisdom check; you know you don't get the meaningDiplomacy - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective result; you know your arguement was not the bestDisable Device - Hidden/Open: I would make it case-dependent and give clues; you may know the trap is still workingDisguise - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective result; you know your disguise is approximateEscape Artist - Open: no need to hideForgery - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective result; you know your document looks fakeGather Information - Open: even if you fail it takes a long time to retryHandle Animal - Open: no need to hideHeal - Hidden/Open: I think this one is more subjective, depends if you want to let them know the disease it's over or keep the suspenceHide - Hidden: it's more difficult to self-evaluate than Move Silently; if consequences are immediate, roll it openly; you may know your camouflage is approximateIntimidate - Open: no need to hideJump - Open: no need to hideKnowledge - Open: no need to hide, you know that you don't know; some use a house rule of giving false information in which case you may want it hidden (but I don't recommend this HR)Listen - Open for surprise, otherwise Hidden: see above, you know you made some noiseMove Silently - Open: see aboveOpen Lock - Open: no need to hidePerform - Open: you know how you sang a note out of tuneProfession - Hidden/Open: very dependable... sometimes a professional notices his errors when it's too late, but normally in D&D you use this skill for immediate clues on something rather than to make a livingRide - Open: no need to hideSearch - Hidden, but easily circumventable by Take 10/20Sense Motive - Hidden/Open: normally I roll SM myself as a DM, but in some cases it could be left open; you may know you don't have a clue of what's going onSleight of Hand - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective resultSpellcraft - normally Open except a few specific casesSpot - Open for surprise, otherwise Hidden: see ListenSurvival - Open: you could make it hidden for weather forcast, if you want it funny  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> ; actually you may want to keep it hidden for tracking (as Search)Swim - Open: no need to hideTumble - Open: no need to hideUse Magic Device - Open: no need to hide, unless specific devices have long-term side effectsUse Rope - Open: the opposite check can be hidden in case you want to hide the effective result; you know the rope is loose</blockquote>

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