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Should the DCs for skill checks be higher or lower than saves?
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I'm homebrewing a rotten, collapsible staircase. I want there to be a Dex check to climb it, but if they fail the check, they can make a save to avoid falling.
Should the check or the save be of a higher DC?
For saves and checks in general, is one typically higher than the other?
dnd-5e skills encounter-design difficulty-class
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
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up vote
7
down vote
favorite
I'm homebrewing a rotten, collapsible staircase. I want there to be a Dex check to climb it, but if they fail the check, they can make a save to avoid falling.
Should the check or the save be of a higher DC?
For saves and checks in general, is one typically higher than the other?
dnd-5e skills encounter-design difficulty-class
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
1
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
I'm homebrewing a rotten, collapsible staircase. I want there to be a Dex check to climb it, but if they fail the check, they can make a save to avoid falling.
Should the check or the save be of a higher DC?
For saves and checks in general, is one typically higher than the other?
dnd-5e skills encounter-design difficulty-class
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm homebrewing a rotten, collapsible staircase. I want there to be a Dex check to climb it, but if they fail the check, they can make a save to avoid falling.
Should the check or the save be of a higher DC?
For saves and checks in general, is one typically higher than the other?
dnd-5e skills encounter-design difficulty-class
dnd-5e skills encounter-design difficulty-class
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
17.4k246110
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
asked 3 hours ago
Govika
362
362
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Govika is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
1
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
1
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago
Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
1
1
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
There is no rule about which is harder
DMG p. 239 says the following regarding setting the Difficulty Class (DC):
When you do so, think of how difficult a task is and then pick the associated DC from the Typical DCs table.
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30
The numbers associated with these categories of difficulty are meant to be easy to keep in your head.
(The table also appears here in the basic rules.)
In your given example, think about how bad you want the stairs to be. Are they ready to collapse or only a few bad steps? On a fail, does only one step give way or the whole flight? Etc.
A sample scenario
There is a flight of rotting stairs. 5 steps are too weak to support any weight. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required to spot the rotten steps. On a failed check, the PC needs to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling through the rotten step; a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.
NOTE: Depending on the character's ability score and proficiency, a DC10-DC15 usually has a 50% chance of success.
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Saves should be higher than ability checks
You can get a proficiency bonus to saves, but not to ability checks*.
Skill checks are a subset of ability checks, you might add your proficiency bonus to Dex(Acrobatics), but not to pure Dex checks.
*) Bards can get half for ability checks, and some other classes for some abilities.
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
There is no rule about which is harder
DMG p. 239 says the following regarding setting the Difficulty Class (DC):
When you do so, think of how difficult a task is and then pick the associated DC from the Typical DCs table.
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30
The numbers associated with these categories of difficulty are meant to be easy to keep in your head.
(The table also appears here in the basic rules.)
In your given example, think about how bad you want the stairs to be. Are they ready to collapse or only a few bad steps? On a fail, does only one step give way or the whole flight? Etc.
A sample scenario
There is a flight of rotting stairs. 5 steps are too weak to support any weight. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required to spot the rotten steps. On a failed check, the PC needs to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling through the rotten step; a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.
NOTE: Depending on the character's ability score and proficiency, a DC10-DC15 usually has a 50% chance of success.
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
There is no rule about which is harder
DMG p. 239 says the following regarding setting the Difficulty Class (DC):
When you do so, think of how difficult a task is and then pick the associated DC from the Typical DCs table.
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30
The numbers associated with these categories of difficulty are meant to be easy to keep in your head.
(The table also appears here in the basic rules.)
In your given example, think about how bad you want the stairs to be. Are they ready to collapse or only a few bad steps? On a fail, does only one step give way or the whole flight? Etc.
A sample scenario
There is a flight of rotting stairs. 5 steps are too weak to support any weight. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required to spot the rotten steps. On a failed check, the PC needs to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling through the rotten step; a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.
NOTE: Depending on the character's ability score and proficiency, a DC10-DC15 usually has a 50% chance of success.
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
There is no rule about which is harder
DMG p. 239 says the following regarding setting the Difficulty Class (DC):
When you do so, think of how difficult a task is and then pick the associated DC from the Typical DCs table.
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30
The numbers associated with these categories of difficulty are meant to be easy to keep in your head.
(The table also appears here in the basic rules.)
In your given example, think about how bad you want the stairs to be. Are they ready to collapse or only a few bad steps? On a fail, does only one step give way or the whole flight? Etc.
A sample scenario
There is a flight of rotting stairs. 5 steps are too weak to support any weight. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required to spot the rotten steps. On a failed check, the PC needs to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling through the rotten step; a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.
NOTE: Depending on the character's ability score and proficiency, a DC10-DC15 usually has a 50% chance of success.
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
There is no rule about which is harder
DMG p. 239 says the following regarding setting the Difficulty Class (DC):
When you do so, think of how difficult a task is and then pick the associated DC from the Typical DCs table.
Very easy 5
Easy 10
Moderate 15
Hard 20
Very hard 25
Nearly impossible 30
The numbers associated with these categories of difficulty are meant to be easy to keep in your head.
(The table also appears here in the basic rules.)
In your given example, think about how bad you want the stairs to be. Are they ready to collapse or only a few bad steps? On a fail, does only one step give way or the whole flight? Etc.
A sample scenario
There is a flight of rotting stairs. 5 steps are too weak to support any weight. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required to spot the rotten steps. On a failed check, the PC needs to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling through the rotten step; a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.
NOTE: Depending on the character's ability score and proficiency, a DC10-DC15 usually has a 50% chance of success.
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
edited 9 mins ago
V2Blast
17.4k246110
17.4k246110
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
answered 1 hour ago
ravery
6,0181946
6,0181946
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Saves should be higher than ability checks
You can get a proficiency bonus to saves, but not to ability checks*.
Skill checks are a subset of ability checks, you might add your proficiency bonus to Dex(Acrobatics), but not to pure Dex checks.
*) Bards can get half for ability checks, and some other classes for some abilities.
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Saves should be higher than ability checks
You can get a proficiency bonus to saves, but not to ability checks*.
Skill checks are a subset of ability checks, you might add your proficiency bonus to Dex(Acrobatics), but not to pure Dex checks.
*) Bards can get half for ability checks, and some other classes for some abilities.
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Saves should be higher than ability checks
You can get a proficiency bonus to saves, but not to ability checks*.
Skill checks are a subset of ability checks, you might add your proficiency bonus to Dex(Acrobatics), but not to pure Dex checks.
*) Bards can get half for ability checks, and some other classes for some abilities.
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
Saves should be higher than ability checks
You can get a proficiency bonus to saves, but not to ability checks*.
Skill checks are a subset of ability checks, you might add your proficiency bonus to Dex(Acrobatics), but not to pure Dex checks.
*) Bards can get half for ability checks, and some other classes for some abilities.
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
answered 1 hour ago
András
24.2k1089179
24.2k1089179
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
2
2
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
You can't get proficiency on ability checks like dexterity, but you can get proficiency on skill checks, like acrobatics. The question does say "dexterity check", but that could also mean "some kind of skill check involving dexterity".
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
@RyanThompson There is no skill checks in 5e. There are ability checks only, with proficiency bonus, if you have a skill. "a dex check to climb it" would be "Strength (Athletics)" or "Dexterity (Acrobatics)" check, with proficiency bonus for respective classes.
– enkryptor
1 hour ago
1
1
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
Champions also get "Remarkable Athlete: Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus."
– Valley Lad
16 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Govika is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Govika is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Govika is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Do you mean Dex(Acrobatics), or Dex check?
– András
1 hour ago
Why not use Str(Athletics) to climb, since climbing is explicitly part of that skill?
– ValhallaGH
1 hour ago
1
@ValhallaGH Climbing stairs and climbing walls might use the same word, but they don’t mean the same activity or test the same human abilities.
– SevenSidedDie♦
1 hour ago