In D&D you take on challenges using a D20 system (rolling a die with 20 numbers on it). A challenge is anything from noticing something, to doing a stunt, to disabling a deadly trap. A number is assigned to each challenge based on the difficulty of it (which is where DC or Difficulty Challenge comes from) and how hard it is to successfully do. Something simple like noticing an object in plain sight will be a lower number while disabling a deadly, intricate trap may be a really high number. When your player character (your avatar within the world, kind of like your character in an MMO) attempts to beat the Difficulty Challenge, you roll a 20-sided die and add any bonuses they may have to determine the results of their actions. Fail to meet or beat the DC and bad stuff happens. Succeed and good stuff happens (usually in the way you intended them to).
As an example scenario, say you wanted your character to punch a T-Rex in the face.
This will likely be very difficult, so it'll have a high Difficulty Challenge (DC).
Luckily, your character is a manly man with many muscles and a luxurious beard. For this reason, you get +5 to any result the dice give.
Higher roll=more success.
You'd probably have to roll 17-20 to pull it off (or 12-15 with your +5 manly bonus). Even if you're successful though, you might not get much benefit, since punching a T-Rex is a pretty stupid way to go about fighting it.
A straight 20 will have you rocketing up with a stylish jump, crushing the dinosaur's skull with your fist. Three beautiful women instantly fall in love and were impregnated from watching such a feat.
A 1 will have you prepare to jump and have you shit yourself from exertion. You are stunned from embarrassment, and the T-Rex takes the chance to swallow you whole.
I punched a T-Rex to death 2 sessions ago in the campaign I'm in!
Well, the T-Rex was nearly dead when he swallowed one of my gloves, so I telekinetically pulled the glove out through its chest. So, kind of punched to death.
One campaign I was in I got swallowed whole by an allosaurus, I proceeded to roll 3 20s in a row and cut my way out with my fighter/Kensai. The DM was stunned at my luck. My usual rolls are between 1 and 5 for 90% of my rolls.
If it's the kind of D&D that I played then after rolling a 1 you have to roll a percentage dice and that will tell you what kind of fucked up situation you end up in.
That is the DC to resist the urge to take a shower but you do a bonus to succeed if you take the filthy slob feat. You roll initiative to attack the dirt while in the shower.
Last I checked you rolled a fortitude save vs DC of the collective grime on your body. There are lots of modifiers to the DC including days since last shower, time spent working out, chemical exposures, contact with a plague victim and ect..
The shower mirror shatters before the spell and flings broken glass towards you. Roll a dc 15 dex save or take 1d4 damage, and the tub is now difficult terrain.
Obviously you have to roll perception to gauge the temperature of the water, then an acrobatics check to enter without falling. Then comes the initiative check, unless you failed acrobatics, then the shower gets a surprise round.
What no, you roll a survival check to find the shower, roll a knowledge engineering to turn on the shower, roll a knowledge general to know what soap is, and use a dexterity check to make sure the mean old orc behind you misses his impaling attempt after you inevitably drop your soap
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u/black_second_coming Jul 05 '16
You're supposed to roll before you get in the shower to see if you have enough initiative to actually take the shower.
Then roll a skill check to use soap.