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AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 10:16 AM
A common complaint about the skill system in 5e is that there aren't explicit DCs, and it leaves a lot of things up to the DM - which can cause the same character to be wildly more or less competent depending on who's running the game. Some people don't like that particular aspect of the flexibility of this system, myself included, so I've decided I'm going to go through the books and find all the places where a DC gets listed. It won't be perfect, but it'll provide examples of what WotC considers a DC 10 or 20 or 30 check to look like, hopefully.

Needless to say, because I'll be going through so many books, that's going to include adventures. I won't be trying to spoil what happens in the check summary, but I also won't be trying to avoid spoiling it. If knowing there's a trapped disco ball ~3/4ths of the way through Descent Into Avernus or whatever would ruin it for you, then...sucks. I'm spoiling myself on like 90% of the books on the list because I don't worry too much about spoilers, but it still means the experience is gonna be a little worse for me personally. If you'd rather go in completely and utterly blind, this probably won't be to your liking.

Table Key/Books Finished:

DMG: Dungeon Master's Guide
EEPC: Elemental Evil Player's Companion
HDQ: Horde of the Dragon Queen
MM: Monster Manual
OA: Out of the Abyss
PA: Princes of the Apocalypse
PH: Player's Handbook
RT: Rise of Tiamat




Check
DC
Source
Description


Acrobatics
10
PH 182
At the end of a long jump, remain standing despite landing in difficult terrain



10
HDQ 54
Cross a beam slick with fungus and mold without falling



10
RT 29
Slide down a two-story ice ramp while standing



10
RT 46
Cling to a mossy stone bridge after slipping to avoid falling off



10
DMG 110
Avoid slipping on slippery ice when you first move onto it



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a crowd slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a maze of small obstacles slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a pack of dogs damage you or slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a beggar slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a rough patch of brush slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a patch of uneven ground slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a stream/ravine/rock bed slow you down during a chase



10
PA 126
Balance on a narrow ledge in a windy chasm



10
PA 133
Dash, Disengage, or perform another complex maneuver, on unstable wreckage, without falling



12
RT 29
Slide down or climb up a two-story ice ramp while wearing crampons



12
RT 30
Avoid slipping on ice stairs



12
RT 36
Move more than 15 ft on a slightly sloped ice floor without falling



12
RT 51
Climb or crawl down a slick, steep slope



15
MM 27
Escape from the grasping tendrils of the walls in a beholder lair



15
DMG 254
Avoid letting a large obstacle slow you down during a chase



15
DMG 254
Avoid letting a group of brawlers damage you or slow you down during a chase



15
PA 68
Climb up a "stairs to slide" trap that's currently in slide formation



15
PA 87
Slip free of being securely tethered to a rock while underwater



15
OA 46
Squeeze through a wall of netting embedded with sharp hooks without getting stuck and hurt



17
MM 27
Escape from the grasping tendrils of the walls in a death tyrant's lair



24
DMG 176
Seize and remove another creature's ioun stone








Animal Handling
6
HDQ 74
Avoid getting attacked for trying to harness a trained wyvern



10
HDQ 74
Harness a trained wyvern



15
HDQ 74
Get a trained wyvern to fly as directed








Arcana
12
RT 68
Identify a Dao by depiction



12
RT 73
Locate a salt ring



15
HDQ 12
Identify a half-dragon by description



15
HDQ 59
Identify the "Farseer Of Illusk" (a magic telescope)



15
HDQ 59
Operate the "Farseer Of Illusk" partly



15
HDQ 83
Determine that a rune network is being influenced by a spirit



15
RT 68
Deduce that an innate ability is responsible for visible magical phenomena



15
DMG 122
Detect the pressure plate for a "fire breathing statue" trap



15
PA 43
Determine that craters and earth-piles are due to powerful earth magicks



15
PA 120
Recognize rune circles meant to contain summoned demons despite age and damage



15
OA 76
Use notes to figure out the alchemical formulae for alchemist's fire and vials of acid



20
RT 72
Decipher notes to understand odd elemental-combination experiments



20
DMG 123
Determine that a statue's mouth contains a Sphere Of Annihilation



25
DMG 201
Take control of a Sphere Of Annihilation within 60 ft








Athletics
6
OA 11
While hanging on an edge after getting pushed off, avoid losing your grip and falling



10
PH 182
As part of a long jump, clear an obstacle no taller than one-quarter the distance jumped



10
HDQ 17
Climb a cliff with handholds/footholds quickly



10
HDQ 81
Climb a cracked crumbling ice tower



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a crowd slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a beggar slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a rough patch of brush slow you down during a chase



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a stream/ravine/rock bed slow you down during a chase



10
PA 72
Climb a tower made from rough flagstone



10
PA 115
Climb the rough walls of a pit



10
PA 116
Climb a rough, uneven wall with small ledges and fissures



10
PA 116
Swim in an underground pool without getting swept into a stream by the current



10
PA 118
Swim against the current of a stream



10
PA 124
Climb a rough wall



10
PA 126
Climb a rough wall in a windy chasm



10
PA 128
Climb a rough slippery wall



10
PA 131
Climb a rough wet wall



10
PA 135
Climb a rough wall covered in fissures



10
PA 138
Scale up 10 ft to a ledge



10
OA 11
While hanging on an edge after getting pushed off, climb back up



12
RT 51
Climb or crawl down a slick, steep slope



12
OA 33
Climb up to and through a hole in the ceiling 10 ft up



13
OA 72
Climb slippery cavern walls



15
HDQ 63
Climb a lodge's wall to the roof



15
MM 27
Escape from the grasping tendrils of the walls in a beholder lair



15
RT 36
Climb 8 ft up an ice wall/pillar



15
RT 46
(3 checks) Climb 80/120 ft up a mossy stone wall



15
DMG 254
Avoid letting a group of brawlers damage you or slow you down during a chase



15
PA 82
Resist getting swept along in the current right next to a small waterfall



15
PA 116
Climb a rough, uneven wall with small ledges and fissures



15
PA 118
Surface despite being directly under a small waterfall



15
PA 125
Climb a rough wall slick with water and fungus



15
PA 128
Swim against a strong current



15
PA 128
Surface despite being directly under a small waterfall



15
PA 136
Stand up in a river of elemental mud



15
PA 136
Move in a river of elemental mud at 1/2 speed (going with the current) or 1/5 speed (against)



15
PA 139
Using a rope tether, pull a creature 10 ft closer to the edge of a pool of a mud river



15
PA 221
As a Tiny flying creature, avoid getting swept away by gale-force winds in Yan-C-Bin's region



15
OA 27
Climb out of a 20 ft sinkhole



15
OA 37
Open a 10ft by 10ft tight-fitted stone door that is not locked



17
MM 27
Escape from the grasping tendrils of the walls in a death tyrant's lair



20
PA 87
Swim to the surface of a 10-ft pool while tethered to a large stone



20
PA 93
Climb 15 ft up smooth, wet masonry








Constitution
10
RT 34
Successfully cast a spell after Aurathator's Scriptorium



10
DMG 252
Avoid gaining an exhaustion level from Dashing too frequently



11
OA 54
While suffering from Grackle-Lung and 1 level of exhaustion, take the Dash action



12
OA 54
While suffering from Grackle-Lung and 2 levels of exhaustion, take the Dash action



13
OA 54
While suffering from Grackle-Lung and 3 levels of exhaustion, take the Dash action



14
OA 54
While suffering from Grackle-Lung and 4 levels of exhaustion, take the Dash action



15
OA 54
While suffering from Grackle-Lung and 5 levels of exhaustion, take the Dash action








Charisma
5
HDQ 17
As a low-level nobody, avoid getting recognized by people you fought a few days ago



15
HDQ 17
Avoid looking out of place in a cultist camp when it goes on alert



15
DMG 199
Force your way past a Scroll Of Protection barrier keyed against your creature type



15
DMG 225
Control an Orb Of Dragonkind as long as you remain attuned



15
OA 22
[Spellcasting Stat] check to use a scroll of Raise Dead despite not being able to cast the spell



15
OA 32
As an enlightened quaggoth, turn your enslaved fellows against their drow captors








Deception
10
HDQ 17
Lie your way past 5 guards



15
RT 77
Deceive paranoid Thayan interrogators



15
DMG 131
Spread an untrue rumor about an individual, shifting a community's attitude one step



18
RT 76
Deceive a Thayan vampire noblewoman








Dexterity
10
PH 151
Save yourself from further alchemist fire damage



10
HDQ 8
Unlock an old, rusted lock even when you have the key



10
HDQ 63
Enter a building through a shuttered window without the shutter banging



10
OA 76
Save yourself from further alchemist fire damage



12
OA 11
When entering giant spider webs, or starting your turn there, avoid becoming restrained



12
OA 42
Navigate through a basic maze of stalagmites in a turbulent river



12
OA 42
Navigate through a tight passage in a turbulent river



13
OA 42
Maintain control over a boat/raft going over turbulent waters



15
RT 29
Climb a one-level ice slide without crampons



15
DMG 197
Escape a Rope Of Entanglement



17
RT 43
Escape a bone boulder



20
PH 152
Slip out of manacles



20
RT 29
Climb a two-level ice-slide without crampons



20
OA 4
Slip out of manacles








History
10
PA 43
Recognize the symbol of a local group despite not being local yourself



10
PA 169
Know off-hand of the Uthgardt's general distrust of magic



10
PA 169
Know of the Elk tribe's unsavory reputation despite not being native to the same area



20
HDQ 70
Use vague artistic depictions to determine the locations depicted








Insight
10
PH 309
Realize that sounds are due to a raven's Mimicry



10
PA 60
Notice monks exchanging furtive glances



10
PA 162
Recall a man looking nervous/guilty and disappearing before keys turned up missing



12
OA 58
Notice a guard captain eyeing your weapons greedily



12
OA 60
Realize a two-headed giant is crazed and terrified



12
OA 62
Determine a merchant is lying about not knowing why somebody would try to kill him



13
OA 51
Assess the mood of a city enough to avoid trouble before it starts



14
MM 194
Realize that sounds are due to a kenku's Mimicry



15
HDQ 10
Realize that kobolds burning a mill badly are luring you into an ambush



15
HDQ 37
Realize you've been recognized



16
RT 49
Determine that a politician is withholding the whole truth



18
RT 49
Determine a guilt-ridden local leader is being untruthful with you








Intelligence
5
DMG 61
While on Limbo, move a Tiny object



5
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 10 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered



10
RT 29
Rig a set of cramptons from a climber's kit



10
RT 33
Estimate the value of a chest of coins without disturbing it or its contents



10
DMG 61
While on Limbo, move a Small object



10
DMG 61
While on Limbo, alter a nonmagical Tiny object not being worn or carried



10
DMG 200
Copy a cantrip scroll into your spellbook



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a maze of small obstacles slow you down during a chase



11
DMG 200
Copy a 1st lvl scroll into your spellbook



12
DMG 200
Copy a 2nd lvl scroll into your spellbook



13
DMG 200
Copy a 3rd lvl scroll into your spellbook



14
DMG 200
Copy a 4th lvl scroll into your spellbook



15
DMG 61
While on Limbo, move a Medium object



15
DMG 61
While on Limbo, alter a nonmagical Small object not being worn or carried



15
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 20 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered



15
DMG 150
Operate an Amulet Of The Planes



15
DMG 200
Copy a 5th lvl scroll into your spellbook



15
PA 121
Determine culture of origin of sarcophagus from the artistry



15
OA 22
[Spellcasting Stat] check to use a scroll of Raise Dead despite not being able to cast the spell



16
DMG 200
Copy a 6th lvl scroll into your spellbook



17
DMG 200
Copy a 7th lvl scroll into your spellbook



18
DMG 200
Copy a 8th lvl scroll into your spellbook



19
DMG 200
Copy a 9th lvl scroll into your spellbook



20
PH 259
Escape from a Maze spell



20
DMG 61
While on Limbo, move a Large object



20
DMG 61
While on Limbo, alter a nonmagical Medium object not being worn or carried



25
DMG 61
While on Limbo, move a Huge or larger object



25
DMG 61
While on Limbo, alter a nonmagical Large or larger object not being worn or carried



25
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 30 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered



35
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 40 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered



45
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 50 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered



55
DMG 61
While on Limbo, stabilize a 60 ft radius sphere for 24 hours or until altered








Intimidation
10
HDQ 10
Scare a cultist into supplying the name and general goal of their cult



10
HDQ 44
Scare lizardfolk mercenaries into conversing with you



10
DMG 254
Avoid letting a beggar slow you down during a chase



15
HDQ 14
Scare cultist prisoners into giving up details on their operation



15
DMG 254
Avoid letting a group of brawlers damage you or slow you down during a chase



15
PA 79
Scare a brand new cultist into surrendering without a fight



15
OA 65
Get useful information out of a babbling derro



16
OA 76
Scare a single answer out of a deurgar who is near-incoherently insane



20
HDQ 15
Scare fanatical cultist prisoners into giving up details on their operation








Investigation
8
RT 70
Locate buttons on the underside of a railing



10
HDQ 38
Determine that a mass of footprints was just a crowd of people



10
PA 58
Locate a secret door



10
PA 59
Locate a secret door



10
PA 59
Locate a secret door



10
PA 105
Determine that a pile of rubble has been frequently and recently disturbed



10
PA 150
Determine that a barrel has a false bottom



10
PA 171
Locate a hidden niche



10
PA 172
Locate a trip wire while searching for traps



10
PA 174
Locate a silver chain wrapped around a brazier out in the open



10
PA 185
Determine how to start operating a tricky flywheel



10
PA 186
Realize a statue's held scepter can be removed



10
PA 186
Locate a 2-inch wide hole in otherwise smooth stone floor



10
OA 64
Get the scoop on rumors regarding trade route issues



12
RT 32
Determine the number of creatures that live in a chamber by analyzing belongings



12
RT 44
Examine a body struck by arrows to determine what direction they came from



12
RT 73
Locate a salt ring



12
RT 81
Locate a small, forgotten side-entrance to a fortress while scouting



12
OA 76
Locate a letter hidden in a small hidden compartment in a desk



13
OA 37
Determine that damage to a room is recent despite no tracks in the dust layer



14
RT 50
Locate a poorly-hidden secret door



14
RT 53
Notice a Glyph Of Warding before it's triggered



14
PA 93
Notice a Glyph Of Warding before its triggered



15
HDQ 38
Search your oatmeal for lumps that might be bone slivers



15
HDQ 53
Locate a hidden compartment in a wooden statue



15
HDQ 60
In a pitch-black underwater tunnel, determine which branching path doesn't dead-end



15
RT 29
Detect bitter poison among strong-smelling raw fish



15
RT 44
Determine a non-obvious cause of death



15
RT 45
Determine that frescoes are thinner than normal without breaking them



15
RT 46
Locate a pressure plate for a trap



15
RT 47
Locate a secret passage



15
RT 72
Locate a secret door



15
DMG 122
Determine that a patch of un-walked ground is the cover for a "hidden pit" trap



15
DMG 123
Deduce the presence of a pressure plate(s) by variations in the floor pattern



15
DMG 123
Deduce the presence of a trapdoor(s) by variations in the ceiling pattern



15
PA 51
Determine that a skeleton recently picked clean and broken was humanoid



15
PA 68
Notice the collapsing mechanism for a "stairs to slide" trap



15
PA 104
Locate a secret door



15
PA 105
Locate a secret door



15
PA 106
Locate a secret door



15
PA 110
Locate a secret door



15
PA 132
Locate a secret door



15
PA 132
Locate a secret door



15
PA 144
Find levers hidden in secret niches



15
PA 159
Locate a secret door



15
PA 174
Notice traces of blood and other small signs of violence while poking around a dormitory



15
PA 179
Notice loose flagstones on flimsy boards won't support your weight while searching for traps



15
PA 185
Determine how to fully operate a tricky flywheel



16
MM 179
Determine that a humanoid is actually a disguised sea hag



17
RT 42
Locate a small secret door



18
HDQ 66
Locate a strongbox in a hollow section of floorboards



18
RT 42
Locate a "bone boulder" trap while searching



18
RT 44
Locate a loose brick in a wall



18
RT 53
Locate a "poison needle" trap on a chest



18
PA 121
Notice a Glyph Of Warding before it's triggered



19
PA 135
Discover a Major Image effect from a distance without interaction



20
HDQ 70
Locate a secret door



20
HDQ 79
Locate a "poison needle" trap on a chest



20
HDQ 83
Locate a small gem wedged into a crevice



20
MM 106
Determine the monstrous mirages of a brass dragon's region to be illusory



20
MM 177
Determine that a humanoid is actually a disguised green hag



20
RT 45
Locate a secret door



20
DMG 123
Deduce the presence of a "poison needle" trap in a lock



20
DMG 130
Locate somebody willing to buy a particular magic item from you



20
DMG 151
Figure out how to open an Apparatus of Kwalish



20
PA 51
Determine that rusty bloodstains and broken bone piles are largely humanoid in origin



20
PA 187
Locate a secret door



20
OA 14
Determine the presence of a "poison needle" trap in a lock








Medicine
10
PH 197
Stabilize a dying creature



10
HDQ 34
Determine cause of death to be poison rather than sudden illness



10
HDQ 36
Revive a man unconscious due to exposure and dehydration



10
RT 70
Determine fairly straightforward cause of death



10
PA 79
Notice that flutes are made from humanoid bones



12
MM 70
Staunch the cursed wounds of a bearded devil's glaive



12
MM 74
Staunch the cursed wounds of a horned devil's tail



13
RT 68
Identify drakeswort (a potentially-deadly herb) by sight



13
RT 71
Determine uncommon cause of death



15
DMG 207
Free a creature from the ongoing effects of a Sword Of Wounding



15
DMG 272
Treat a festering wound



20
MM 274
Safely extract a slaad's control gem








Nature
10
HDQ 26
Identify a dragon by its egg



10
HDQ 35
Identify shrieker fungi, but misidentify them as poisonous



12
HDQ 60
Determine that a pool of water must contain an underwater entrance/exit



12
RT 79
Successfully avoid the attention of a passing dragon flying overhead



13
RT 68
Identify drakeswort (a potentially-deadly herb) by sight



15
HDQ 12
Identify a half-dragon by description



15
HDQ 22
Identify violet fungi hidden among more standard fungi



15
HDQ 34
Identify Perytons before they get too close



15
HDQ 35
Identify shrieker fungi



15
MM 138
Identify a gas spore as such, rather than as a beholder



15
OA 22
Identify the species and potential uses of various fungi native to the Underdark



16
DMG 258
Avoid poisoning yourself when failing to harvest poison



20
HDQ 62
Identify ambush drakes by claw marks in wooden floors



20
DMG 258
Harvest poison from a poisonous creature








Perception
10
HDQ 15
Spot an ambush from 600 ft when you know where to look



10
HDQ 21
With tracks going in most directions, determine the direction the majority went



10
HDQ 22
Realize the ceiling is covered in bats



10
HDQ 23
Locate tons of little hooks embedded in leather strips on close inspection



10
HDQ 24
Locate a "collapsible ceiling" trap on a set of stairs while actively searching



10
HDQ 25
Determine that this dragon mural has holes where many dragon's mouths are



10
HDQ 27
Realize a rug denting downward is covering a hole



10
HDQ 35
Track a golden stag while you're hot on its trail



10
HDQ 36
Track stolen horses while you're hot on their trail



10
HDQ 40
Locate a camouflaged trapdoor



10
HDQ 41
Determine that a barrel hides a trapdoor



10
HDQ 43
Identify language (but not speech) from echoes coming down a long tunnel



10
HDQ 59
Determine that a muddy patch of ground is only traversed by one kind of creature



10
DMG 122
Detect the trip wire for a "collapsing ceiling" trap



10
DMG 122
Detect the trip wire for a "falling net" trap



10
DMG 122
Detect the covering for a "simple pit" trap



10
PA 104
Detect the trip wire for a "spring-loaded axe" trap



10
PA 116
Detect the covering for a "simple pit" trap



11
OA 36
Scramble back up the edge of a shallow pit after nearly falling in



12
HDQ 61
Locate a trapped ceiling connected to a chest



12
RT 68
Recognize a Dao by depiction



12
RT 81
Locate a small, forgotten side-entrance to a fortress while scouting



12
OA 12
In a very dimly lit room, recognize that a lifelike statue is a statue instead of a living creature



13
PA 50
Don't lose track of a fleeing manticore



13
OA 42
Notice stalagmites poking just out the top of turbulent waters in an underground river



14
RT 42
Notice a tile mosaic slowly animating into a monster



14
PA 129
Spot giant crabs hiding in nets in water



14
OA 62
Notice a basic alarm trap's tripwire



15
PH 66
Non-Druid detecting Druidic messages



15
HDQ 14
Determine that one set of tracks are deeper than the others



15
HDQ 15
Spot an ambush from 300 ft when you know to look, but not where to look



15
HDQ 22
Locate a "stairs to slide" trap on a set of stairs while actively searching



15
HDQ 24
Locate guard drakes hidden in shadows



15
HDQ 24
Determine that a section of solid rock floor is actually painted parchment



15
HDQ 24
Spot a collapsible ceiling without triggering it



15
HDQ 26
Notice a dragon egg hidden among similar-colored rocks



15
HDQ 31
Spot a shaved, tattooed head hidden beneath a hood



15
MM 242
Spot a gelatinous cube that's standing still



15
RT 28
Spot someone surreptitiously casting a spell when you're looking for it



15
RT 69
Spot a diamond crystallizing within a gorgon's paralyzing breath



15
DMG 122
Spot the pressure plate for a "fire breathing statue" trap



15
DMG 122
Detect the lack of foot traffic over the cover of a "hidden pit" trap



15
DMG 123
Spot the holes for a "poison dart" trap



15
DMG 123
Detect the pressure plate and trapdoor for a "rolling sphere" trap



15
PA 53
Detect murderholes in the ceiling without specifically checking out the ceiling



15
PA 139
Spot a secret passage



15
PA 218
Spot a hidden sinkhole from a safe distance in Ogremach's region



15
OA 36
Notice weakened stone that covers a shallow pit



15
OA 37
Notice that a sarcophagus is on hidden stone rollers



15
OA 62
Notice a disabled drainage pipe hidden under a pile of refuse



15
OA 65
Locate an enormous fissure camouflaged into the cliffside



16
PA 183
Realize that a man's surprise and indignation is over-acting and sounds rehearsed



17
PA 59
Spot ghouls hiding in inky water



20
HDQ 11
Detect a small group of humanoids hiding in a loft



20
HDQ 15
Spot an ambush from 60 ft without any warning



20
HDQ 22
Spot an entryway hidden by shadows and clever positioning



20
HDQ 55
Detect a barely-visible century-old chalk message



20
HDQ 57
Locate an "acid bomb" trap hidden in a cabinet



20
HDQ 65
Detect a "freezing runes" trap



20
HDQ 70
Detect a secret door



20
MM 92
Spot a sinkhole from a safe distance in a blue dragon's region



20
RT 28
Notice villagers unobtrusively slipping away to snitch on you



20
RT 29
Detect bitter poison in strong-smelling raw fish



20
RT 51
Notice movement from a dragon hiding just inside a cave



20
PA 131
Spot a symbol carved into a "stalactite" (which is actually a roper)



20
PA 172
Notice steep steps cut into the side of a gorge and hidden from casual observation



20
PA 178
Spot an assassin fleeing the scene of the crime with cover of a growing crowd



22
HDQ 78
Spot a small entryway hidden by shadows and positioning from a distance



22
RT 43
Notice a pressure plate for a "rolling boulder" trap before it's activated



24
RT 42
Locate a "bone boulder" trap when searching








Performance
15
HDQ 10
Realize that kobolds burning a mill badly are luring you into an ambush








Persuasion
10
OA 64
Get the scoop on rumors regarding trade route issues



12
HDQ 10
Convince a cultist to supply the name and general goal of their cult



12
HDQ 85
Get some useful information out of exhausted kobolds



12
OA 61
Get basic information about a well-known crook at the market



13
OA 58
Bribe a corrupt guard with something besides the target of his obsession



14
OA 63
Get a group of duergars to stop bothering you



15
HDQ 11
Convince a crowd of panicking villagers to obey your orders



15
HDQ 44
Convince lizardfolk mercenaries to converse with you



15
MM 169
Calm down a berserking flesh golem you created



15
RT 29
Convince a suspicious village shaman to meet privately



15
RT 77
Convince paranoid Thayan interrogators that you're telling the truth



15
DMG 131
Spread a true rumor about an individual, shifting a community's attitude one step



15
PA 177
Talk a thief fencing stolen goods from 1500 gp to 1100 gp



15
OA 60
Convince city guards not to arrest you on various charges



15
OA 63
After reporting three incidents, convince the guard captain of a corruption issue in the city



15
OA 65
Get useful information out of a babbling derro



17
RT 52
Convince a dragon's prisoners-turned-guards to abandon their post



18
HDQ 73
Convince villagers to discuss the cult that controls the village



19
HDQ 83
Get some actually useful information out of ogres



20
RT 76
Convince a Thayan vampire that your goals align sufficiently to avoid interrogation








Religion
14
RT 43
Determine the fairly obvious conditions that will allow a ghost to pass on



15
RT 43
Recall an old holy gesture of a fallen deity



15
RT 52
Recognize a shrine to an obscure minor deity



15
PA 64
Determine the deity a temple was dedicated to, based on the shape of where symbols used to be



18
HDQ 61
Recognize a shrine to an ancient deity no longer worshiped



18
RT 44
Recognize the symbol of a yuan-ti deity



20
PA 121
Recognize an idol dedicated to an obscure drow deity of oozes








Sleight Of Hand
6
HDQ 59
Avoid handling the "Farseer Of Illusk" (a magic telescope) so poorly that it breaks



15
HDQ 59
Operate the "Farseer Of Illusk" partly



20
RT 73
Operate a scrying crystal

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 10:18 AM
Check
DC
Source
Description


Stealth
10
HDQ 7
Sneak through the town without triggering random encounters



10
HDQ 17
Climb a cliff with handholds/footholds quietly



10
HDQ 22
Sneak past a roomful of bats without startling them too much



10
OA 64
Sneak past many derro preoccupied with their own issues



11
PA 139
Sneak past sleeping young bulettes



12
HDQ 65
Enter quietly through a shuttered window



12
OA 11
Sneak past two drow guards



13
OA 43
Sneak past a handful of stirges



14
OA 59
Sneak your boat to a dock unnoticed by the guards



16
OA 46
Sneak past several kuo-toa guards who can sense invisible intruders



16
OA 51
Avoid excessive attention for the day while moving about in a duergar city








Strength
10
PH 148
Free someone from a net



10
HDQ 26
Free yourself from a pile of glue



10
HDQ 56
Force open a trapdoor nailed shut



10
MM 92
Unearth yourself after getting buried by a collapsed ceiling in a blue dragon's lair



10
MM 199
Free someone from a kuo-toa's net



10
DMG 187
Force your way out of a closed portable hole



10
PA 52
Force open a locked door



10
PA 60
Force open a locked door



10
PA 67
Force open a stuck wooden door



10
OA 37
Move a heavy stone sarcophagus that's on stone wheels



10
OA 42
Push free a small boat/raft that has run aground in turbulent waters



11
MM 131
Free yourself from an ettercap's web



11
MM 199
Free a weapon from a kuo-toa's sticky shield



12
PH 306
Burst out of giant spider webbing



12
HDQ 79
Remove the lid from a 500 lb iron box



12
MM 32
Free someone from a Vine Blight's entangling plants



12
MM 242
Free someone from a Gelatinous Cube



12
MM 328
Burst out of giant spider webbing



12
RT 82
Continue walking despite sound so loud the pressure is pushing you back



12
OA 11
Burst out of giant spider webbing



12
OA 11
When entering giant spider webs, or starting your turn there, avoid becoming restrained



12
OA 46
Burst out of netting



13
PH 152
Free someone from a hunting trap



13
MM 46
Free someone from an attached darkmantle



13
PA 207
Break out from a One-Eyed Shiver's "Eye Of Frost" ability



14
OA 42
Push a boat free that has gotten stuck in a tight pasage



15
HDQ 8
Force open an iron grate held in place by an old rusted lock



15
HDQ 45
Free someone from quicksand



15
HDQ 65
Break out of restraining ice



15
HDQ 78
Half-raise/Half-lower a drawbridge/portcullis



15
MM 96
Free someone from vines in a green dragon's lair



15
MM 112
Free someone from the mudpits of a copper dragon's lair



15
MM 261
Free someone from a roper's tendril



15
DMG 153
Break out of a bag of devouring



15
DMG 197
Escape a Rope Of Entanglement



15
PA 60
Force open a locked door reinforced with iron bands



15
PA 78
Force open a stuck stone door



15
PA 85
Force open a stuck stone door



15
PA 95
Force open a stuck stone door



15
PA 99
Burst weak chains



15
PA 103
Force open a stuck stone door



15
PA 115
Force open a stuck stone door



15
PA 135
Unearth someone buried by a collapsed ceiling



15
PA 149
Burst open a cage stuck closed with a piton



15
PA 150
Force open an iron door rusted shut



15
PA 156
Lift a heavy iron cage off somebody it's pinning to the ground



15
PA 217
Free yourself from sticky mud in Ogremoch's lair



16
MM 41
Free a creature from an attached cloaker



17
PH 152
Burst ropes



17
RT 43
Escape a bone boulder



17
OA 37
Remove the lid of a sarcophagus



17
OA 45
Burst ropes made of cords of guts



18
MM 143
Avoid being knocked prone by a Dao's maul



18
MM 144
Free yourself from a Djinni's whirlwind



18
OA 12
In 4 rounds, use a winch-and-basket system to move 800 lbs of cargo down 40 ft



20
PH 151
Burst chains



20
PH 152
Break out of manacles



20
PH 236
Unearth yourself after getting buried in rubble by an Earthquake spell



20
HDQ 64
Force open thick, 9-ft tall oak barn doors



20
MM 112
Free someone from the hardened mudpits of a copper dragon's lair



20
RT 45
Force open a stone secret door from the wrong side



20
DMG 122
Pry open the cover of a "locking pit" trap



20
DMG 123
Slow down a "rolling sphere" trap by 15 ft



20
DMG 153
Pull someone out of a Bag Of Devouring



20
DMG 177
Break out of Iron Bands Of Bilarro



20
EEPC 23
Break out of mud transmuted into rock around you



20
PA 46
Break down a barred door



20
PA 52
Break down a barred door



20
PA 59
Flip over an occupied rowboat



20
PA 67
Force open a locked cage door



20
PA 68
Force open a locked iron door



20
PA 68
Force open a locked cage door



20
PA 70
Break a leash designed for a bear



20
PA 90
Flip over an occupied rowboat



20
PA 99
Burst chains



20
PA 105
Remove the lid of a dwarf-sized stone sarcophagus



20
PA 115
Free a creature from a whirlwind who got swept up in it



20
PA 116
Burst manacles



20
PA 156
Bend the rusty bars of an iron cage enough to escape



20
PA 187
Remove an 8-ft diameter stone dias that's serving as the lid to a tomb



20
PA 241
Break out of mud transmuted into rock around you



20
OA 5
Burst manacles



20
OA 5
Burst iron collar



20
OA 75
Break down a sturdy door



20
OA 76
Brerak down a sturdy barred door



25
RT 26
Swamp a 60-ft long sailing ship enough to maybe dunk everyone overboard



25
PA 80
Force open 15-ft tall stone doors with metal spikes wedged under the frame keeping them closed



25
PA 92
Force open an iron gate secured by chains and padlocks



25
PA 132
Force open an iron gate secured by chains and padlocks



25
OA 77
Force a heavy iron gate open



30
HDQ 84
Remove the lid from a ~4000 lb sarcophagus



30
DMG 165
Break out of Dimensional Shackles



30
DMG 175
Move an Immovable Rod 10 ft



70
HDQ 82
Break down absolutely enormous, magically-bound doors




















Survival
5
DMG 112
Avoid getting lost in relatively civilized "wilderness"



10
RT 27
Deduce from food racks that a village produces far more food than it consumes



10
DMG 87
Find hours-old gnoll tracks



10
DMG 111
Successfully forage in bountiful environments



10
DMG 112
Avoid getting in most normal wilderness



10
DMG 244
Track somebody over soft ground (snow, sand, mud, etc)



10
PA 43
Determine tracks are from a mixed group of thirty bugbears and Medium humanoids



10
OA 20
Avoid getting lost in the Underdark for a few hours



10
OA 68
Forage edible fungi in an area where they are abundant



12
RT 79
Successfully avoid the attention of a passing dragon flying overhead



15
HDQ 43
Relocate a trail in a swamp after leaving the trail



15
DMG 111
Successfully forage in rough environments



15
DMG 112
Avoid getting lost in utterly inscrutable wilderness



15
DMG 244
Track somebody over normal ground (dirt, grass, etc)



15
OA 59
Sneak your boat to a dock unnoticed by the guards



16
OA 24
While being tracked in the Underdark, grow your lead by 1 day by obscuring your trail



20
DMG 111
Successfully forage in inhospitable environments



20
DMG 244
Track somebody over hard ground (solid stone, etc)



23
HDQ 63
Track a powerful half-dragon a great distance








Thieves' Tools
10
HDQ 8
Pick an old lock



10
HDQ 16
Pick a cheap lock



10
HDQ 25
Pick an intentionally-bad lock on a trapped chest, triggering the trap



10
HDQ 41
Pick a cheap lock



10
HDQ 42
Pick a cheap lock



10
HDQ 54
Pick an old lock



10
PA 68
Pick a simple lock



12
HDQ 55
Pick an old padlock



12
OA 62
Disable a basic alarm trap's tripwire



15
PH 152
Pick a standard lock



15
PH 152
Pick the lock on standard manacles



15
HDQ 25
Pick a shoddy lock on a trapped chest without triggering the trap



15
HDQ 54
Pick a trapped lockbox, but set off its trap



15
HDQ 56
Pick a lockbox



15
HDQ 79
Pick a trapped padlock, but trigger the trap



15
HDQ 79
Disarm a trapped padlock without unlocking it



15
HDQ 81
Pick a standard lock



15
RT 72
Pick a trapped lockbox without setting off its trap



15
DMG 122
Disable a "collapsing ceiling" trap



15
DMG 122
Disable a "falling net" trap



15
DMG 122
Disable the cover of a "locking pit" trap



15
DMG 123
Disable a "poison needle" trap



15
PA 46
Pick a standard lock



15
PA 53
Pick a standard lock



15
PA 60
Pick a standard lock



15
PA 92
Pick a standard lock



15
PA 132
Pick a standard lock



15
OA 5
Pick the lock on standard manacles



15
OA 14
Disarm a "poison needle" trap without unlocking the chest



15
OA 14
Pick the lock on a chest without dealing with the trap in the lock



15
OA 75
Pick a sturdy locked door



15
OA 77
Pick the lock on a heavy iron gate



17
HDQ 80
Pick a sturdy locked door



20
HDQ 8
Pick an old rusted lock



20
HDQ 54
Pick a trapped lockbox without setting off its trap



20
HDQ 57
Disarm an "acid bomb" trap in a cabinet



20
HDQ 79
Pick a trapped padlock without setting off its trap



20
OA 15
Pick the lock on the gate keeping the slaves contained



21
HDQ 69
Pick an expensive locked chest



25
HDQ 79
Pick an expensive locked door








Wisdom
15
OA 22
[Spellcasting Stat] check to use a scroll of Raise Dead despite not being able to cast the spell

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 10:19 AM
This should be the last one I need, I think? So go wild.

Man_Over_Game
2020-07-16, 10:23 AM
Hopefully this saves you a little bit of work: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/161592/what-are-the-examples-of-a-successful-dc-30-ability-check-that-uses-a-skill

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 10:26 AM
Hopefully this saves you a little bit of work: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/161592/what-are-the-examples-of-a-successful-dc-30-ability-check-that-uses-a-skill

All of those are from the DMG, and should be on the table. That being said, I'm absolutely sure I've missed some stuff. If people know of something I've missed from books already covered, pointing it out would be very helpful - even just a page reference and what the rules cover. As an example, I expected to find, and did not find anywhere in the core three books, rules on Con checks that relate to suffocation, starvation, thirst, etc. It's possible these things are Con saves rather than Con checks, but if somebody finds Con checks for such things, pointing me in their direction would be very helpful. :smallsmile:

Telok
2020-07-16, 10:29 AM
I did this years ago, the spreadsheets may still be linked somewhere around here.. You get lots of people saying you can't use them as examples or such.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 10:31 AM
I did this years ago, the spreadsheets may still be linked somewhere around here.. You get lots of people saying you can't use them as examples or such.

I suspected as much. I mean not of you specifically, just that I wasn't the first person to do something like this. I'll still keep at it, just cuz sunk-cost fallacy. :smalltongue:

Man_Over_Game
2020-07-16, 10:34 AM
I suspected as much. I mean not of you specifically, just that I wasn't the first person to do something like this. I'll still keep at it, just cuz sunk-cost fallacy. :smalltongue:

Looking forward to it!

[Edit] Also, what the ****: "Search your oatmeal for lumps that might be bone slivers", Investigation DC 15.

I'm afraid to ask, but what the hell is the context?

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 11:25 AM
Looking forward to it!

[Edit] Also, what the ****: "Search your oatmeal for lumps that might be bone slivers", Investigation DC 15.

Yeah, I'ma pass on the oatmeal for a while. I'm afraid to ask, but what the hell is the context?

The PCs have snuck into a caravan that includes a cultist wagon, in an attempt to track down more cultists elsewhere. Separately, this Gnome Lady is doing similar stuff, figures out the PCs are here to spy on the cult (partially because the cult is catching on at this point too), and wants to get a feel for what they know. So she approaches the PCs at breakfast, takes one's bowl of gruel, fishes around in it with her knife, and removes it to reveal a weird lump stuck to her knife. She says it's a bone sliver curled into a ball, and that it would unroll somewhere in your digestive tract, including all the microedges that are bone-sharp, and it would tear up your insides if eaten. She tells the other PCs their gruel is probably similarly sabotaged, and that they should talk with her later. At this point, the DM can allow the players an Investigation check to search their bowl of oatmeal for suspicious lumps. You can always find suspicious lumps, but because it's freaking gruel, it's basically impossible to tell if it's a "bone sliver sabotage" lump, or just like...a bit of sawdust or dirt that got into your gruel, or even just...a particularly lumpy bit of oatmeal.

Oh, and it's all a lie. She slipped the bone sliver in herself, the other bowls are totally fine. She just needs to get the PCs to trust her and pretending she saved them from getting sliced up from the inside is the approach she took. No, there is no check to notice her doing this.

Telok
2020-07-16, 11:42 AM
Dug it up. Not sure if the links to the spreadsheet still work, can't check them on my phone.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?495062-Spreadsheet-of-published-skill-DCs&highlight=Spreadsheet

I like the 'roll or have a waterfall sneak up on you' ones from OotA.

Man_Over_Game
2020-07-16, 11:49 AM
The PCs have snuck into a caravan that includes a cultist wagon, in an attempt to track down more cultists elsewhere. Separately, this Gnome Lady is doing similar stuff, figures out the PCs are here to spy on the cult (partially because the cult is catching on at this point too), and wants to get a feel for what they know. So she approaches the PCs at breakfast, takes one's bowl of gruel, fishes around in it with her knife, and removes it to reveal a weird lump stuck to her knife. She says it's a bone sliver curled into a ball, and that it would unroll somewhere in your digestive tract, including all the microedges that are bone-sharp, and it would tear up your insides if eaten. She tells the other PCs their gruel is probably similarly sabotaged, and that they should talk with her later. At this point, the DM can allow the players an Investigation check to search their bowl of oatmeal for suspicious lumps. You can always find suspicious lumps, but because it's freaking gruel, it's basically impossible to tell if it's a "bone sliver sabotage" lump, or just like...a bit of sawdust or dirt that got into your gruel, or even just...a particularly lumpy bit of oatmeal.

Oh, and it's all a lie. She slipped the bone sliver in herself, the other bowls are totally fine. She just needs to get the PCs to trust her and pretending she saved them from getting sliced up from the inside is the approach she took. No, there is no check to notice her doing this.

Yeah, HotDQ has some really good storytelling moments, but doesn't really do well for the DnD sandbox or player agency. It tells a story like playing the Dishonored games does: Sidestories are fluid, but the overarching plot is episodic and rigid.


Dug it up. Not sure if the links to the spreadsheet still work, can't check them on my phone.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?495062-Spreadsheet-of-published-skill-DCs&highlight=Spreadsheet

I like the 'roll or have a waterfall sneak up on you' ones from OotA.

I particularly like the sass in the comments. "'Fermented Delicacy' my a**. That sh**'s rotting".

Also, holy crap, a DC 70 Strength Check. Not...really sure what they were thinking there, other than trying to feel smug that it's not "impossible".

And the fact that there are twice as many automatic fails as their are automatic successes is...telling.

prabe
2020-07-16, 11:50 AM
I like the 'roll or have a waterfall sneak up on you' ones from OotA.

Seriously? I wonder if that's where the DM in the Unsatisfactory Campaign I'm playing in got the idea go have a Wisdom(Perception) (I think) check in order not to walk off an implausibly high escarpment (way more than high enough to max out falling damage, anyway).

Telok
2020-07-16, 12:16 PM
Seriously? I wonder if that's where the DM in the Unsatisfactory Campaign I'm playing in got the idea go have a Wisdom(Perception) (I think) check in order not to walk off an implausibly high escarpment (way more than high enough to max out falling damage, anyway).

I think there were some unwritten assumptions by the writer combined with zero experience with noise levels and river canoe/kayak trips.

Being unable to hear a 30' (memory of height could be off) waterfall in an underground cave from more than 60' - 90' feet away is inconceivable. Being unable to distinguish it from the rest of the noise of class 3 & class 4 whitewater rapids, in an echo laden cave, while tyring to navigate said whitewater, is plausable. But anyone with river experience knows to scout class 3+ whitewater before trying it because that's when you start getting into lethal stuff like rollers or just plain nasty like having to ferry back and forth across the river four times to avoid getting your boat crushed.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 12:20 PM
just plain nasty like having to ferry back and forth across the river four times to avoid getting your boat crushed.

And you really don't need the extra stress on top of figuring out how to keep the wolf from eating the sheep at any point during all the transfers.

da newt
2020-07-16, 12:28 PM
I appreciate the effort. Is there a benefit / good way to add a column that references the expected level of the party?

I ASSUME (I use that word on purpose) that DCs are adjusted based not only on the task at hand, but the expected level of the PCs who will be performing the task.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 12:36 PM
I appreciate the effort. Is there a benefit / good way to add a column that references the expected level of the party?

I ASSUME (I use that word on purpose) that DCs are adjusted based not only on the task at hand, but the expected level of the PCs who will be performing the task.

I think it'd be possible, but it's one more thing that would make the project take longer to complete - and I'd have to go back and go over books I've already done, and even then it's not going to be totally applicable. Adventure paths will have obvious "you should be this level at the time you're attempting this check". For checks related to specific monsters, I could write the monster's CR in place of level, on the assumption that players are lvl X are the most likely to encounter monsters of CR X, even if players of slightly lower/higher level might also encounter it. But for things like magic items, and items in the PH that have attached specific DCs, it's harder. I could maybe estimate the level at which you could be expected to get your hands on an Amulet Of The Planes or an Apparatus Of Kwalish, but for standard PH items...

Bursting out of rope is DC 17 IIRC. Bursting out of nets is DC 10. Bursting out of chains is DC 20. All of these are things you could theoretically have to do as a PC at any level.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 12:41 PM
I appreciate the effort. Is there a benefit / good way to add a column that references the expected level of the party?

I ASSUME (I use that word on purpose) that DCs are adjusted based not only on the task at hand, but the expected level of the PCs who will be performing the task.

I will say that this does seem to be the case to a degree. In the player's handbook, a standard lock is DC 15.

In the early parts of HotDQ, you're mostly working with DC 10 locks - old or cheap or rusted or stuck or secondhand. Through the middle, you start seeing DC 15 locks more often. Near the end of HotDQ/RoT, you start seeing DC 20+ locks more frequently. But contrary to that, straight Str checks are spread out weirdly: HotDQ has some of the easiest, but also two of the hardest, including the "DC: you fail" door, while RoT mostly has fairly middling Str checks (but for the one boat tipping done by monsters).

EDIT: And right now, I'm going through PotA. Locks have been DC 15 universally, so far. Early doors were either DC 10 (for locked wooden doors) or DC 20 (for locked and barred wooden doors). Sprinkled through are iron cages and gets that are DC 20+ to break down. Midway through, all the doors are unlocked stone doors wedged stuck, at DC 15 - except for this one absolutely massive stone door wedged stuck, which is DC 25. The DCs are consistent to each door type, but what kinda door you face for your level is very inconsistent.

prabe
2020-07-16, 12:52 PM
I think there were some unwritten assumptions by the writer combined with zero experience with noise levels and river canoe/kayak trips.

Being unable to hear a 30' (memory of height could be off) waterfall in an underground cave from more than 60' - 90' feet away is inconceivable. Being unable to distinguish it from the rest of the noise of class 3 & class 4 whitewater rapids, in an echo laden cave, while tyring to navigate said whitewater, is plausable. But anyone with river experience knows to scout class 3+ whitewater before trying it because that's when you start getting into lethal stuff like rollers or just plain nasty like having to ferry back and forth across the river four times to avoid getting your boat crushed.

Wow. Rapids are loud. It's not my hobby, but I've been hiking around the Great Falls of the Potomac while there were kayakers running it, and I knew they scouted runs but not how granular they were about it.

Grey Watcher
2020-07-16, 01:32 PM
It doesn't bode well that this

"DC10 HDQ 54 Cross a beam slick with fungus and mold without falling"

feels really lowballed to me. I guess if they mean, "get across, even if it means sliding along on your belly." But if they mean cross it by walking, I'd put it at DC 15 and impose disadvantage if they go faster than half speed (including Dashing).

Hopefully, the list will coalesce around something despite outliers, though.

----------------------------------------------------------

On another note, does it make sense to try and figure out places where the DC is derived from some exiting math or not? One of your entries is "figure out a sound is kenku mimicry" or something like that. Is that derived from the statblock of the kenku? 8+Prof+Cha? Dunno if that kind of information is too much of a pain in the butt to add, but it might be handy to know which ones are derived from the system's math and which ones are just eyeballed.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 01:55 PM
It doesn't bode well that this

"DC10 HDQ 54 Cross a beam slick with fungus and mold without falling"

feels really lowballed to me. I guess if they mean, "get across, even if it means sliding along on your belly." But if they mean cross it by walking, I'd put it at DC 15 and impose disadvantage if they go faster than half speed (including Dashing).

Hopefully, the list will coalesce around something despite outliers, though.

There's a few that feel low-balled to me. DC 25 to tip a 60-ft boat enough to maybe dumb people overboard seems low. Especially because (while I didn't mention it in the entry) that's monsters doing it to PCs, and they explicitly get +2 per extra person helping out, so the DC could've easily been set to 30 without it being a problem. The other one that feels low is DC 15 Investigation to "find out which branching pitch-black underwater tunnel isnt a dead-end" - which is the same DC as "find suspicious lumps in your oatmeal".


On another note, does it make sense to try and figure out places where the DC is derived from some exiting math or not? One of your entries is "figure out a sound is kenku mimicry" or something like that. Is that derived from the statblock of the kenku? 8+Prof+Cha? Dunno if that kind of information is too much of a pain in the butt to add, but it might be handy to know which ones are derived from the system's math and which ones are just eyeballed.

it's difficult to say. For the kenku, it has Deception +4, so it seems like that would be it, yeah? Taking 10 on deception sets the DC at 14. Except the DC for a Raven's otherwise identical ability is DC 10, and Raven has Cha 6 and no proficiency in Deception. If the raven had deception proficiency, this DC would make sense, but since it doesn't, the DC feels arbitrary.

If kenku has ever been made an official race, that will probably specify the DC.

Grey Watcher
2020-07-16, 02:08 PM
If kenku has ever been made an official race, that will probably specify the DC.

They're in Volo's Guide to Monsters.


Mimicry

You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.

da newt
2020-07-16, 02:22 PM
The reason I ask about PC level is I ASSUME most DMs / adventure writers decide what an appropriate DC is based on both the task difficulty and the proficiency of the PC's attempting the task, then assign a % of success that makes sense for the story, and reverse engineer the DC from there.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what would make sense to me. If I was writing an adventure with an obstacle I'd first think 'how hard do I want this to be' then assign the 'right' DC based on what I'd assume the PC's could accomplish.

Only after the above would I worry about describing the ability check (cross a slippery bridge or whatever).

Therefore a 50-50 ability check in a tier 1 adventure would have a much different DC that a 50-50 check in tier 3.

But I'm assuming others think the way that I do, which may be erroneous.

Xervous
2020-07-16, 02:31 PM
The reason I ask about PC level is I ASSUME most DMs / adventure writers decide what an appropriate DC is based on both the task difficulty and the proficiency of the PC's attempting the task, then assign a % of success that makes sense for the story, and reverse engineer the DC from there.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what would make sense to me. If I was writing an adventure with an obstacle I'd first think 'how hard do I want this to be' then assign the 'right' DC based on what I'd assume the PC's could accomplish.

Only after the above would I worry about describing the ability check (cross a slippery bridge or whatever).

Therefore a 50-50 ability check in a tier 1 adventure would have a much different DC that a 50-50 check in tier 3.

But I'm assuming others think the way that I do, which may be erroneous.

One perspective is that if you’re assigning DCs to blindly target a desired success rate based on your players then you’re obviating player agency in character creation.

5eNeedsDarksun
2020-07-16, 02:43 PM
First, thanks for doing this.
Second, Wow, it's interesting what checks come up often and nearly never. The lack of Animal Handling checks in the 3 core books speaks volumes about the state of the exploration pillar in 5e.

prabe
2020-07-16, 02:43 PM
One perspective is that if you’re assigning DCs to blindly target a desired success rate based on your players then you’re obviating player agency in character creation.

If the DM is targeting that success rate based on the PCs' abilities and proficiencies, then you have something of a case to make. If the DM is picking the success rate and DC based on some arbitrary combination of level, ability, and proficiency without regard for what the PCs can do, I think the case is weaker if not nonexistent.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 02:45 PM
First, thanks for doing this.
Second, Wow, it's interesting what checks come up often and nearly never. The lack of Animal Handling checks in the 3 core books speaks volumes about the state of the exploration pillar in 5e.

One interesting thing is that it's made me realize pure strength is more valuable than it would seem for pure combat benefits. Straight strength checks to bend, break, or burst out of objects are more common than anything else except perception.

5eNeedsDarksun
2020-07-16, 03:08 PM
One interesting thing is that it's made me realize pure strength is more valuable than it would seem for pure combat benefits. Straight strength checks to bend, break, or burst out of objects are more common than anything else except perception.
I noticed that too. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as more books are added to this. Definitely makes me rethink whether a party needs a high strength character.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 03:10 PM
I noticed that too. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as more books are added to this. Definitely makes me rethink whether a party needs a high strength character.

It also means that Champion getting half-prof rounded up to Str/Dex/Con checks is that much more valuable.

AvatarVecna
2020-07-16, 03:19 PM
Table now includes "Princes Of The Apocalypse".

Asmotherion
2020-07-16, 03:20 PM
My DC placing goes with increments of 5 depending on how hard or easy a task it is, and reserve a +/-3 circumstance bonus or penalty depending on factors like:

A Wizard proficient in Arcana recognising a spell of the same school he's a specialist in would get a -3 to the DC

A Cleric not proficient in Arcana attempting to recognise a spell that only has an Arcane Form would instead get a +3 to the DC

A Barbarian would get a -2 DC when trying to lift something heavy

A Gnome would get a +3 to the DC to lift the same weight.

etc.