@Gungeon asked for a die roll:
Shoo perception roll:
d20: 20 +0
1 Like
@Cokho @Captbnut There’s usually a ‘pass or fail’ target which you need to meet or beat, any extra success granted by a higher roll is typically situational or up to the DM’s discretion. Often there are multiple levels of success that are predetermined, with better outcomes for higher rolls. As Captbnut said, high numbers are best, but unlike attack rolls there is no critical success mechanic for skill checks - and there might be certain tasks that are literally impossible. Rolling a 20 doesn’t always mean success, but I usually reward the roll anyways.
As for what is the difference between a 10 and a 13, it’s all context. Practically, in this case because the characters are riding, I will apply the different results to how they arrive on the scene. In the roleplaying portion I will note that Moran is barely keeping up, while Poot and De are doing okay. If someone rolled a 13, they’d do somewhat better than Moran, but still be struggling.
4 Likes
De and Poot are able to keep up, though there are moments where Yisun disappears in the gloom. Moran has difficulty with his charger, an extremely strong and willful beast that seems less-than interested in being ridden hard by a rider that has not yet earned his respect.
After some time, the potential hangup is revealed. On both sides of the highway the little groves of trees and bunches of houses open up into wide pastures. A vast herd of cattle is being transferred single-file across the road. Before you stands a huge orc with a tall staff, which he uses to prod the cattle forward and keep them in line. Surprisingly, there are no other helpers or herdsmen - the cattle move quietly and obediently for the most part, and little more than a word and a tap sends an unruly beast back into the line.
Yisun stops short, and signals for you to follow suite. She looks deadly in the moonlight, but her voice keeps its professional tone.
“These are owned by Lord Figard Phaeton and his clan. He was duly warned that the caravan was passing tonight. Apparently that warning was ignored. This is the largest herd in the province - will take hours to cross at this pace. A delay that we cannot afford. Parlay with the herdsman and secure passage for the caravan.”
@RossM - I have Charm Person as a backup which might come in handy here, but figured a straight up attempt to persuade might do the job for De and Poot?
“De, this chap is huuuuuge, I don’t want a fight. I’m a personable sort of chap though, right?”
says Poot, without waiting for a reply
"Hello mister orc. Listen friend, we’re on an important mission, and I know you’re obviously very busy with all these cows, but do you think you can open a gap so my friends an I can come through? We won’t take long.
I know mister Phaeton was told we’d be coming through, but he must have forgotten or something I expect. Messengers eh? What are you going to do? As one person trying to do his job to another, can you let us pass, please?"
OOC: So I checked our sheets and De and I both have a +1 in CHA, but neither have a persuasion bonus. I figure that means we can both persuade about as well as one another? How does it work in practice? Do we have to wait for the DM to tell us we’re going to have to make a check, or do we implicitly instigate one by trying to persuade in what we’re saying?
2 Likes
Moran tries to catch his breath, that was a wild ride. He should probably take some time to chat with his horse when they camp.
He’ll try to compose himself and show up next to Poot, looking as mean as he can.
OOC: For what it is worth, I also have a +1 if I intimidate rather than persuade if it can help.
(Go for it @IssiNoho77)
1 Like
As the caravan passes through a hamlet, something relatively small darts by, just beyond the reach of the torches. Salazar’s darkvision does pick out a small humanoid shape. Shoo manages to catch a pretty good glimpse of the figure as it scrambles up the canvas side of a wagon with ease - a young tiefling with a large backpack.
The Orc looks over his shoulder at the little gnome, his face remains stoic though you can hear the rumble of a chuckle at Poot’s frenetic energy.
“You and your friends are four? Four may pass without disrupting the stream.”
@IssiNoho77 In practice if you have the same modifier you have identical chances to persuade someone. It boils down to a roll in the end, anyways. However: roleplaying is what makes something easier or harder, and presentation is part of that. The stoic De will have an easier roll with some people, the affable Poot will get along with others.
As to ‘when do I make a roll’ it’s when you are being resisted by something. If you say ‘How are you doing’ to someone, they will answer ‘I’m doing well, thanks, and you?’ with no roll required. If you want them to tell you something that they wouldn’t want to give up, say, ‘what’s the password to your vault’ then they will resist your attempt to persuade them. That’s when I will ask for a roll.
In this case, since the Orc misunderstood ‘friends’ to mean ‘just the few people you see in front of you’ he has no resistance to your request, and no roll is needed.
1 Like
“No, there’s actually quite a few of us, we’ve got some 'orses, people, animals, and a vehicle of some sort. Once we all gather, it won’t take us very long to come through. If we come across Mr Phaeton we’ll be sure to tell him how helpful you were. Is there anything we can do that might help ‘grease the wheels’ so to speak?”
Salazar turns, races towards the tiefling and reaches out to grab them before they get away
The Orc looks less well disposed, and doesn’t seem to have any ideas about compromise.
“The stream must flow without long disruptions, else the spell is broken. I can hold it back for less than a minute. Very difficult to cast again. Herd must move pastures tonight - you must wait.”
Make an athletics check, or if you don’t have athletics, a strength or dexterity check!
@Captbnut asked for a die roll:
d20: 1
I’ll try and find my character sheet!
2 Likes
Oh bollocks
2 Likes
Poot turns to the group.
“Okay folks, what do we do? I could try to charm him, I’m quite the charmer you see, but I’m worried that breaking his spell could make something bad happen”
1 Like
Could we have any idea what kind of spell is he talking about? If it’s not something life or buisness threatening, I say we force or way through. They knew we were coming, it’s too late for discussion now!
If you’d like to get any information about the spell, an arcana roll would do the trick!
Yisun is making it obvious that she does not intend to intervene unless things get hairy, she merely observes the discussion.
Salazar’s brain reacts to the tiefling a lot more deliberately than his feet do. Almost tripping as he lurches forward, and making a noticeable clatter, the young tiefling adeptly dodges Salazar’s clumsy lunge. Close up, Salazar can see that it’s a tiefling boy in his teen years, dressed in oversized rags. What appeared to be a large backpack is actually a little tiefling girl probably 10 years old, half asleep, tied onto the boy’s back. With some effort the boy manages to summit the top of the large wagon and slips out of view.
1 Like
@Cokho asked for a die roll:
I’m pretty sure I read something somewhere once about those orcish spells… something my mom told me about her grandma…
Arcana roll : d20-1: 16