Pulling A Fonzie

[Afgncaap5]

What DC would you give to a Charisma check... and let's be honest, it has to be a Charisma check... to be able to hit a machine and get it to function in a way that seems unlikely but plausible, such as hitting a juke box to play the perfect song or to hit a vending machine you've never seen before and get it to dispense your favorite soda?

Using Arthur Fonzarelli as a standard performer of such a feat, I imagine that he's probably Taking 10 to pull it off every time. I vaguely recall one episode where he loses confidence or gets the yips or something and his attempt to get a machine to work as usual falls flat, so whatever his Coolness bonus to Charisma checks is, it's probably low enough that a major (albeit temporary) hit to confidence will still cause issues.

My gut is that this should be super impressive as a roll, but probably not nigh unachievable (otherwise when will a player attempt it?) So I'm leaning toward a DC of around 30 (marked as "Heroic" in the PH), but I think I could also see arguments for DCs as low as 25 (Formidable) or as high as 40 (Nearly Impossible.)

Theoretically, the straightforward Charisma check might be replaceable with UMD if the item in question is known to be magic, but I think that gets in the way of the spirit of the concept.

[Crake]

I feel like this would be better represended by some kind of luck roll instead.

[weckar]

We've previously ruled that such 'percussive adjustments' are a DC 25 Cha-based Disable Device check.

[Telonius]

Fonz also has a Leather Jacket of Awesomeness that grants (probably) a +10 to that sort of check.

Otherwise, DC 30 sounds about right. I'd say give it an increasing DC if you've used it in the past x hours. (Cool isn't cool if you over-use it). Also a higher DC if you've recently jumped your motorcycle over a tub of sharks on water-skis (or similarly ridiculous antics).

If it's actually trying to repair a thing (a la Han Solo and the Falcon) that wouldn't be the same check. I'd use a Disable Device as Weckar suggested.

[Red Fel]

Pretty sure Fonzie has as a class feature (Class: The Fonz) or as a racial feature (Unique Creature: The Fonz) the ability to apply his Cha to any check, save, or other roll. He can Cha his way out of a test or quiz or other Int-challenge, he can Cha his way through a fight, he can Cha his way over a shark-filled pool, so it makes sense that he could Cha his way through a Disable Device check.

It's also possible that he just rolls consistent 30+s on Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) checks, which leads to the admiration of extraplanar beings. Who basically pay him in luck-based currency, more or less allowing him to do whatever he wants as long as he continues to roll well on Perform (Awesomeness). This is evidenced by the time he drew the attention of an alien - the closest thing we've seen to an extraplanar being on Happy Days - and was able to repel him with the power of "Eyy." Which was, of course, another Perform (Awesomeness) check.

[Tohsaka Rin]

Or Fonzie was an Aegis, and just fixing the jukebox by using a class feature.

[Strigon]

Pretty sure Fonzie has as a class feature (Class: The Fonz) or as a racial feature (Unique Creature: The Fonz) the ability to apply his Cha to any check, save, or other roll. He can Cha his way out of a test or quiz or other Int-challenge, he can Cha his way through a fight, he can Cha his way over a shark-filled pool, so it makes sense that he could Cha his way through a Disable Device check.

It's also possible that he just rolls consistent 30+s on Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) checks, which leads to the admiration of extraplanar beings. Who basically pay him in luck-based currency, more or less allowing him to do whatever he wants as long as he continues to roll well on Perform (Awesomeness). This is evidenced by the time he drew the attention of an alien - the closest thing we've seen to an extraplanar being on Happy Days - and was able to repel him with the power of "Eyy." Which was, of course, another Perform (Awesomeness) check.

I like this quite a lot.

[Red Fel]

I like this quite a lot.

I know, right? That was a Very Special Episode.

[bahamut920]

Seems like it's an unconventional use of the skill trick that allows you to pick a lock by tapping it with a weapon hilt (unarmed strikes are weapons) or a related custom skill trick for Disable Device.