So, I've got a question for anyone who played D&D/Pathfinder (particularly the latter) solo. The question is as follows: how do you set the DCs? So far I've mostly been playing Fate, using the awesome adventure fractal hack by Ryan Danks, so I had this issue solved for me. Now I would like to give PF a shot and I don't really know how to go about this issue. Initially it may seem pretty obvious - why, these are simulationist games, just look at how difficult the task is and use that. But that's the question: how difficult is it? The DC to jump over the chasm depends on how wide it is, but how do I decide how wide it is? There are rules for deciding the DC to break down the door based on what it's made from, but how am I to know what it's made from? When it comes to combat encounters, there is CR for aproximating an appropriate challenge, but as far as I know there is no CR for skill checks (well, except for 4e, but I don't really care about it).
So, TLDR, denizens of LWR who play D&D/PF, how do you set the DCs for skill checks?
PS: sorry about adding the link to Adventure Fractal hack in this way, this is literally my first post on G+ and I couldn't figure out how to do this properly.
http://ryanmdanks.com/?p=496
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
So, I've got a question for anyone who played D&D/Pathfinder (particularly the latter) solo. The question is as follows: how do you set the DCs? So far I've mostly been playing Fate, using the awesome adventure fractal hack by Ryan Danks, so I had this issue solved for me. Now I would like to give PF a shot and I don't really know how to go about this issue. Initially it may seem pretty obvious - why, these are simulationist games, just look at how difficult the task is and use that. But that's the question: how difficult is it? The DC to jump over the chasm depends on how wide it is, but how do I decide how wide it is? There are rules for deciding the DC to break down the door based on what it's made from, but how am I to know what it's made from? When it comes to combat encounters, there is CR for aproximating an appropriate challenge, but as far as I know there is no CR for skill checks (well, except for 4e, but I don't really care about it).
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I have collection of random tables and generators to use, but I often just make up quick tables of my own to roll on when I need to decide things like what a door is made out of. The first 4-6 things that come to mind become the table, and DCs follow logically from there.
ReplyDeleteOther times I use an Oracle and ask several questions in sequence with an Unlikely chance of being the case, and using the first one that comes up Yes. (Is it 5' wide? 10'? 15'? etc)
Sometimes I just pick something that fits my mood best -- wouldn't it be cool if the door was made of the laquered bones of the Sorcerer's enemies.
For DCs (or difficulty levels in other games) I ususally just pick a number/level that feels right. But, it should be said, I generally think of difficulty in terms of the world rather than the character. If you wanted to base it on the PC, I would set a range of DCs in advance, e.g. Easy=level+5, Moderate=level+10, etc., sort of the way Scarlet Heroes does it.
I use several different approaches:
ReplyDeleteFor dungeons: Even if it is not realistic, I have the dungeon scale with my character's abilities and set the DCs in dungeons for discovering and disarming traps or picking locks etc. at 15 + X where X equals the average party level (or APL). So if I got a level 1 and a level 3 character the APL would be 2 and the DC would be 17 inside the dungeon.
Another approach would be to set the DC at 15 + X where X equals the dungeon level instead of APL. So the deeper you go down into the dungeon the harder it gets (if you use multi-level dungeons).
Outside of dungeons: I use the rulebook examples in the skill descriptions as a guideline. Determining some things randomly (like the width of a chasm for example).
Narrative approach: I don't set a DC at first. Instead I just make a check to see how good the character does and tailor the narrative to the result. Using a DC between 10 and 15 as a benchmark. Example:
A thief tries to pick some pockets in a busy marketplace. First attempt: Check result 23. Without to much trouble he swiftly cuts a purse and disappears into the crowd.
Second attempt: Check result 12. As he reaches for the purse so does the victim. Make a Reflex save vs. DC 15 to quickly pull your hand back.
Third attempt: Check result 8. As you reach for the purse a merchant from a nearby stand suddenly points at you and shouts. "Thief!" You have the feeling the whole marketplace suddenly watches you...
Alex Yari hit the nail on the head. Randomly generate the DC and determine the story element from that. I used tables for this, not a random dice roll, as that's how I, erm, roll.
ReplyDeleteBelow are the tables that I use for that. You'll see that it's skewed towards the low middle, and the hard tasks are a bit rarer. But every once in a while, you'll get that impossible task.
|dc
3@dc5
5@dc10
5@dc15
4@dc20
[dchard]
|dchard
4@dc25
2@dc30
dc40
I really do like pathfinder -- when I play with a group, we play pathfinder -- but I found the combo of combat, feats, and rule lookups to be too daunting, especially when dealing with villains. Something like an adventure path and hero lab can really help, but that's still a lot of work. I had more luck taking my favorite parts from 5e, pathfinder, and scarlet heroes and mashing them together for solo play. I hope your experience will be better than mine.