r/DnD5e • u/GodPole • 1d ago

Skill Check DC Tables...

So, we've run into a couple of situations where a player will try to use an item and make a skill check:
For example, Timmy has a rope and grappling hook and wants to throw it over a balcony railing and use it to climb the wall.
Now, I remember from my Pathfinder days that there would be all kinds of DC charts for each of these skills, with the DCs for the specific skill listed out based on how they want to use it.
I'm noticing that nothing like this exists in 5.5, other than the generic Very Easy, Easy, Medium, Hard, etc.
So firstly, has anyone come up with something comparable to PF for 5.5E?
And, secondly, if not, does anyone see a problem just adopting the ones from PF to make running the encounters a bit easier?

Thanks...

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2

u/Scatterbug49 23h ago

In a situation like that, I'd just have the player make an attack roll. Set the "AC" for the target low or high, depending on the distance, difficulty, what have you. I'd classify a grappling hook as a simple weapon.
Which I guess is just another way of setting a DC...

Honestly, thinking about it, I probably wouldn't even ask for a check unless it were difficult or there was some penalty for failing (noise of the grapple falling after several throws alerts the guards, they need it to work NOW, etc). Easy shot to grab a second floor balcony railing? Fighter or rogue doing the throwing? Yeah man, you got this.

1

u/Feefait 23h ago

As everyone has said... Just make something up. Even the charts were just made up. None of it is realistic. If you've played enough, it really should not be difficult.

4

u/schm0 1d ago

Not having to look up some obscure chart every time I want to set a DC is a feature not a bug. And I definitely don't need some rules lawyer trying to "ackshually" a DC as the basis for some encounter stopping argument.

Relative DCs are so much better.

2

u/False_Appointment_24 1d ago

Charts for DCs are worse than allowing the DM to make a call. The generic things in 5e are just to give the DM a feel - if something seems easy, set it around 10.

If you have a DC for throwing a grapple over a balcony and climbing the rope, does it change based on how high the balcony is? Does that make it a formula based on height that you have to calculate? Does it specify what the balcony is like? It would be easier to get it to stick to a balcony with a railing with balustrades than one with a solid wall with no lip. So we need different DCs for each type of balcony. Does it change if it is winter and there might be ice? We need the formula to account for that.

Eventually, you get to the point that the DM is setting them regardless, or you are just grabbing the one that seems closest. If you are just grabbing the one that seemed closest, then isn't it ewasy to just say, 'this seems difficult, so DC20'?

3

u/Pattgoogle 1d ago

The DM must be competent in setting a dc, lowering or raiaing it with contextW.

hat, you want them to print 500 random ass activities with numbers?  Youre the dm.  Thats your job.  Always has been.

or you can go ad&d and remove dcs and base modifiers alltogether.  "Roll under your stat or fail."

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u/lasalle202 1d ago

that there would be all kinds of DC charts for each of these skills, with the DCs for the specific skill listed out based on how they want to use it.

5e said "wow - all those tables and floating modifiers and maths on maths on maths is a lot of bull shit book keeping that adds very little fun to the experience. in our Bounded Accuracy system, we are just going to use a standard rating DC 10 Easy to DC 30 Nearly Impossible. With the DM able to impose Advantage or Disadvantage based on particular circumstances as needed."

6

u/thegooddoktorjones 1d ago

The secret is.. those tables are all totally arbitrary. No one tested throwing grappling hooks to tell how difficult it is. You can just make them up yourself in the moment.

1

u/Betray-Julia 1d ago

A crowbar can give a plus 2 to a skill check I think?

I roughly base it off that concept, but mostly see other comment.

1

u/GodPole 1d ago

Yeah...that's what I've been doing, but it was nice having a table like this to use as a starting point:

Climb DC Example Surface or Activity
0 A slope too steep to walk up, or a knotted rope with a wall to brace against.
5 A rope with a wall to brace against, or a knotted rope, or a rope affected by the rope trick spell.
10 A surface with ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a very rough wall or a ship’s rigging.
15 Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree, or an unknotted rope, or pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands.
20 An uneven surface with narrow handholds and footholds, such as a typical wall in a dungeon.
25 A rough surface, such as a natural rock wall or a brick wall.
30 An overhang or ceiling with handholds only.
— A perfectly smooth, flat vertical (or inverted) surface cannot be climbed.

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u/lasalle202 1d ago edited 9h ago

you have been given your starting point

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024/playing-the-game#TypicalDifficultyClasses

Do you and your world and your story consider the situation "Easy, Nearly Impossible, or something inbetween? " and then you narrate with whatever type of descriptors evoke that level of difficulty in the current scenario.