Apr 7

Apr 7 Skill Checks - A Player's Guide

Art Credit - Paizo (WillOBrien)

Dump Stat has written several articles on skills checks throughout the years. Those articles were all from the perspective of the GM, but about us players? Ability checks are an essential part of the game, and we spend a lot of time waiting for the GM to tell us to make a Perception or Athletics check. As a player, we are often at the mercy of the GM, who tells us which check to make and when. We put out trust in them to make the right decision based on the situation and sometimes our ability scores.

The question for us to consider is this; Is it ok for us to ask to make an ability check? Furthermore, can we choose which check to make? My answer is yes, but with a few caveats. We need to look at those conditions if we want to take some semblance of control of what our character can do. Additionally, we must know what our ability checks do and when they should be used.

What are Ability Checks?

The DMG and Player’s Handbook define ability checks as:

An ability check is a test to see whether a character succeeds at a task that he or she has decided to attempt. The DM calls for an ability check when a character or monster attempts an action (other than an attack) that has a chance of failure. When the outcome is uncertain, the dice determine the results.

Player’s Handbook (p. 174), Dungeon Master’s Guide (p. 237)

When you’re not hitting things, you’ll be rolling dice to make ability checks, and who doesn’t love rolling dice? The basic concept behind ability checks is simple. When you make an ability check, roll a d20 and add any appropriate modifiers to the roll. There are additional bonuses you can add, which include class features, spells, or magic items. Some general bonuses you can apply to any check, such as Bardic Inspiration, the Peace Domain Cleric’s Empowering Bond, or the guidance spell. Some provide them with advantage or disadvantages on ability checks, such as Boots of Elevenkind (advantage on Stealth checks) or wearing plate mail armor (disadvantage of Stealth checks).

You succeed if your roll is equal to or greater than the DC. If you don’t, you’ve failed, and nothing good ever happens when you fail. Maybe it’s as simple as finding anything fun in a room (Investigation). Or your failure could result in being attacked when your plate mail-wearing paladin fails to sneak (Stealth) past the guards.

Don’t be Annoying

There are some simple rules to follow so you aren’t slowing down play and pissing off the DM. When you fail your check, live with it. You can overcome your failure if you’re willing to spend the time. If a check usually takes a minute, you can take 10 minutes and automatically succeed. There are impossible checks, so again, live with it. You’ll have to find another way to solve the problem at hand.

Don’t argue about the type of check you have to make. People do this all the time with Athletics and Acrobatics. People misinterpret an ability check and a contest check and therefore think the two abilities are interchangeable. There is no DC you have to meet or beat in a contest. Instead, you’re going head-to-head against another creature’s ability check. For example, when you attempt to grapple another creature, you must make a Strength (Athletics) check to grab them. The target can make either a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Why? Maybe they are stronger than you and can flex their way out of it. Or perhaps they are a slippery son of a bitch and are too hard to grab onto. They are in no way the same thing. It’s just that you have options to avoid the action the individual is attempting, and you can use the one best suits your character’s abilities. You can always try, but good luck explaining how you can use Acrobatics to pull the cart overflowing with your gold.

Stop constantly asking to make checks for such things as checking for traps or finding secret doors. Passive checks (which we’ll get into below) will be made so you don’t have to ask about every hallway and door. You can ask to make a check when the DM says something may seem off about the wall in front of you, which probably means you succeeded on your Passive Check.

And no, you can’t use the Help action after your friend has made their check.

Understanding Passive Checks

Sadly, you do not get to roll any dice. Passive checks are defined as follows:

A passive check is a particular ability check that doesn’t involve any die rolls. Such a check can represent the average result for a task done repeatedly, such as searching for secret doors over and over again, or can be used when the DM wants to secretly determine whether the characters succeed at something without rolling dice, such as noticing a hidden monster.

Player’s Handbook (p. 175)

As players, we have very little control over passive checks. If the character has advantage on the check, add 5. For disadvantage, subtract 5. The most common passive check is Wisdom (Perception). Since the world around you is full of things trying to kill you or prevent you from becoming rich and famous, this makes sense. It could be a trap, a secret door, or a slew of Dragonborn lurking behind the bushes. This doesn’t mean there aren’t other abilities that passive checks can be used. Insight could be used to tell if someone is full of crap before you even have to make a check, or your sheer presence could be intimidating.

Know Your Skills

If you don’t know what the ability scores do, how can you expect to pose an intelligent ask? Here’s a basic idea of what each does.

Strength

Athletics - Pull, push, and break free from someone holding you.

Dexterity

Acrobatics - Run, jump, be a ninja.

Sleight of Hand - Steal a merchant’s coin pouch or palm an item when being searched.

Stealth - Be sneaky, whether creeping by a group of kobolds or hiding from the red dragon whose hoard you just stole.

Intelligence

Arcana - You know magic! Use this to figure out the fancy new magic item, read the mysterious and glowing runes carved into the door, or impress your friends with your knowledge about the Astral Plane.

History - Talk intelligently about past battles and the heroes that fought in them.

Investigation - Look around for clues that will answer important life questions like where’s the button to open the secret drawer that contains the treasure?

Nature - Is it going to rain? Are those fire ants? Please don’t tell me that it is poison ivy.

Religion - You know all about deities, holy symbols, and the color robes that each evil cult wears.

Wisdom

Animal Handling - Soothe your mount, or sic your pet on the person who knocks at your door.

Insight - Is this rogue going to stab me? Is the merchant trying to rip me off? Am I hungry?

Medicine - Of course, it hurts; your arm is broken. Slapping a band-aid over the scratch on the wizard…who won’t stop crying about it.

Perception - The mother of all ability checks. It’s everything that involves your overall awareness of the world around you. Spotting the hawk in the sky spying on you, hearing the bad guys on the other side of the door, and sensing the ground motion before the bullet explodes from the ground.

Survival - You’re a good Boy Scout and earned your wilderness badge. You can track dinner without stepping in quicksand.

Charisma

Deception - Lie, cheat, but not steal. That would be Sleight of Hand.

Intimidation - Flex those big muscles or scream with the fury of a thousand exploding suns. Whatever it takes to scare the crap out of someone, short of hitting them.

Performance - Dance, sing, or act as a method of earning a little gold, getting out of trouble, and, if you’re a stereotypical bard, bedding the innocent maiden.

Persuasion - When you can’t lie, scare or rhyme your way out of a situation, try using your social graces and charm to get what you want.

Overall

Ability Checks are an essential part of any game. They can lead to secret locations, magic items, or just making your enemy pee their pants. All those ability score buff spells you ignore so you can fill every spell slot with fireball play an important role. Respect the DM’s choice on what check to make. Ask questions about your surrounding and ask if you can make a check. Just be ready to defend your choice of ability check if requested. Survival specifies the wildness, so don’t try to con your way into using it in a dungeon. Learn your checks, be smart about your choices, and be one step closer to fame and glory.

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