First couple of games

[Ashley_Chaos]

Afternoon guys/girls, I've participated in around 6 games of d&d so far (noob alert) and have played the role of DM for my last 2 games. Both of these went really well and everyone had a lot of fun. Wish I'd got into this hobby earlier! I've amassed a decent hoard of minis, dungeon tiles, furniture, dice, got the starter set and managed to print the free rulebook at work (hundreds of pages and spread over days lol). Have the rules fairly down, gradually making levels more complex and a bit of winging it here and there (next step will be incorporating hiding/searching and using passive perception, something I haven't incorporated yet but seems to make sense)
Just need some clarification on something I've been wondering about enemies and their stats. My question is obviously HP, speed, AC and the monsters actions are going to be constantly used but where and how would the other stats come into play: STR, DEX etc and also the skills, Athletics, Deception etc.

Thanks in advance, Ash

[Ninja_Prawn]

Just need some clarification on something I've been wondering about enemies and their stats. My question is obviously HP, speed, AC and the monsters actions are going to be constantly used but where and how would the other stats come into play: STR, DEX etc and also the skills, Athletics, Deception etc.

Let me answer you with a question: when do a PC's raw ability scores come into play? :smalltongue:

The answer is that they underpin the other stats. A monster's AC is natural/artifical armour + Dex mod, +2 if it's got a shield etc. Its HP is XdY + X(Con mod). Its attack bonus is Str/Dex mod + proficiency. And so on. Most breath weapon DCs are based on 8 + Con mod + proficiency. Other abilities are similar.

If a goblin (strength 8) puts on plate armour, it will suffer the relevant penalties.

Skills a more of a flavour thing; most monsters won't use skills most of the time (except the combat skills - athletics, acrobatics, stealth and perception). That's why they are not accounted for in the CR calculation. On the other hand, I've had a satyr challenge the party to a musical contest, and lots of monsters might try to deceive the PCs (in which case you could use their passive deception as the DC for an insight check or something).

[Ashley_Chaos]

Aha very true Ninja, they rarely do 'in game' I guess (other than modifying other stats). An instance being for example say a PC making a raw STR check on a jammed door? or I guess say a PC and an enemy could both contest something, e.g. both making a STR check to see who succeeds if a PC was trying to brace a door and the enemy trying to barge it open?
CR calculation, sorry not sure what that means?
Ha brilliant, I like your idea. Yeah I guess on reflection it would add flavour to quests, bringing enemies to life a bit more, so your saying the DM could make the enemies face checks like a PC would?
Cheers, Ash

[Sir cryosin]

CR stands for Challenge rating. I just use my MM but if I was to create my own monster/enemy I would just roll it up like a charter but that's just me.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Yes, I was referring to the method for calculating challenge rating in the DMG. Challenge is based almost entirely on damage output and survivability, while skills are essentially free.

Yes, you can have monsters make skill checks, although the DM rolling against themselves is usually something to avoid. Mostly you're looking at contested checks between a monster and a PC.

[Ashley_Chaos]

Thanks for your responses guys, think I'm picking up the lingo, so CR is the stat for the level of challenge it represents. I'm guessing MM is monster manual also.
Ah ok so try not to be making checks as the DM as a general rule, sorry to be a drongo but can you give any examples of contested checks you've used in your games between monsters and PCs? I have a good imagination in general, think that's why I'm really getting into the game tbh, but struggling a bit on this one.

cheers, Ash

[Ninja_Prawn]

can you give any examples of contested checks you've used in your games between monsters and PCs?

Well, there's the aforementioned musical duel, which I did as a best-of-three contest with Dexterity (Instrument) checks, representing skill, Charisma (Performance) checks, representing creativity and Constitution checks, representing the effort it takes to sustain a long, intense performance. Okay, so I threw the last one in because the PC had a better Con modifier than the satyr and I wanted to tilt the challenge a little. But that's my prerogative.

Others...

Strength (Athletics) in a footrace or similar athletic contest, especially in a chase scene or something.
Wisdom (Insight) vs. Charisma (Deception) and Wisdom (Perception) vs. Dexterity (Stealth) are the classics that you use all the time without even thinking.
An arm wrestle would be a pure Strength contest, as would a pushing game to open a door or hold it closed.
Things like "who can last longest in the ice bath" would be Constitution contests.
Playing a game of skill like knucklebones would be a Dexterity (Game) contest. Card games would most likely be Intelligence (Game), Charisma (Deception) or Wisdom (Insight) contests, and I'd run something like darts or bowling using a contest of ordinary attack rolls.
An intellectual debate or legal cross-examination would be Intelligence (X) or Charisma (Performance) where X is the skill that best represents the subject of the debate (probably History in a courtroom).

[Shining Wrath]

The ability scores of monsters come into play when they have to save against spells or effects, and if they try to use a skill (usually Perception versus a sneaky PC). Also, the intelligence of a creature may matter to you when you design an encounter; oozes should not plan tactics, but hobgoblins should. Ancient dragons in their lairs should have plans within the plans that are contingency plans to the other contingency plans.

[Ashley_Chaos]

I like it, thanks Ninja got some good ideas for my next campaign there. Was a bit puzzled how I could implement the other stats but you've defiantly shed some light on that. Haha classic, a musical duel that's cool :smallbiggrin:
"Wisdom (Insight) vs. Charisma (Deception) and Wisdom (Perception) vs. Dexterity (Stealth) are the classics that you use all the time without even thinking" - I have been using a straight DC check for PCs trying to deceive NPCs, is that a good way to do it or should I contest both rolls for monsters and NPCs?
Sorry for all the questions, trying to become a better player and take the lead as chief DM for our group (our main DM likes a drink so our game seems to descend into a mess a lot of the time!)
Also for Wisdom (Perception) vs. Dexterity (Stealth) this is for hiding etc and staying unseen I take it? This is something I haven't put into one of my games yet but going to try it out next time.
Thanks Shining also, ah ok I see, yeah that's a thought, the way the monster will think and plan and also the way its crafted the environment around it I guess.

[Sir cryosin]

One that comes up a lot at are table is the party love to get drunk and I love to run cons so it's a sleight of hand check for me because I don't want to get drunk but I do want the npc to so I keep orderin drinks get npc drunk the run a scam there is a hole lot of checks to be made like Constitution checks to see how drunk someone is . Sleight of hand checks so I'm not drinking anything so I'm not drunk. Then there's deception checks for when I'm running the scam and then the NPC get a insight check to counteract my deception check but they're insight check will be made at disadvantage because they are drunk, and if I'm caught there's the last stealth check get the out of there