Questions tagged [difficulty-class]
Use this tag when asking about the target numbers rolls are trying to achieve, in systems which calls that the "difficulty class."
71
questions
5
votes
4answers
249 views
Chances on ability checks don't seem to add up [duplicate]
I'm going through the Dungeon Master's Guide, and I see that DCs should be based on the "average person". What I'm having a hard time with is that if someone has a +5 modifier to their History checks ...
13
votes
1answer
600 views
What is the DC of the Tempest Cleric's Wrath of the Storm feature?
Tempest Domain clerics have the ability Wrath of the Storm (PHB, p. 62):
When a creature within 5 feet of you that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to cause the ...
4
votes
1answer
180 views
How do I determine Shadow Dragon's Breath Save DC?
From the Shadow Dragon template, it would appear that the Shadow Breath has the same damage and save as the original dragon's breath weapon, as no change is stated in the template:
New Action: ...
5
votes
3answers
256 views
How can I determine an appropriate DC for an Acrobatics check to “vault” over a barrel?
My PC is running down a hallway. She comes across a section that is blocked by beer barrels (3' tall, 2' round). She finds a place where the blockade is only one barrel deep.
She asks for an ...
9
votes
1answer
721 views
If the Dragon's Breath spell is cast on a familiar, does it use the wizard's DC or familiar's DC?
XGE has a spell that lets anything that breaths spew magical energy from its mouth for 10 rounds called Dragon's Breath (p. 154). Part of it reads:
Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity ...
3
votes
2answers
197 views
How do I determine the DC for Dispel Magic?
I'm fairly new to the game and just ran a first session with my group.
I know that you typically have to match or beat a DC in order to "save" or "succeed."
When it comes to things like Dispel Magic,...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
How can I determine the spell save DC of a monster/NPC?
I am currently DMing a 5e homebrew campaign, and I was looking at the Drow monster stat block.
They have innate spellcasting abilities and one of those spells is Faerie Fire. In the description, it ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
What would be the approximate price to modify the DC on “Goggles of the Golden Sun” from the Magic Item Compendium?
Goggles of the Golden Sun (MIC p. 205) allow a caster to use one of their spell slots to cast fireball. It provides a flat save DC of 14, which is kind of lame.
They normally cost 4000 gp. How much ...
17
votes
2answers
445 views
What is the DC of a Grease effect put in place by the Oil of Slipperiness?
The Oil of Slipperiness states:
Alternatively, the oil can be poured on the ground as an action, where it covers a 10-foot square, duplicating the effect of the grease spell in that area for 8 ...
6
votes
2answers
231 views
How can I increase the DCs of alchemical items?
I've been looking into playing someone that makes a lot of alchemy items for a current game, and started wondering.
What are all the ways I can increase the DCs of Alchemical items in D&D 3.X ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
How do spells that require an ability check vs. the caster's spell save DC work?
Some spells for a wizard state that they need an ability check vs. spell save DC (SSDC). I'm not understanding how this is supposed to work.
If the spell says a creature can see through the effect if ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Establishing DCs for intimidation checks against NPC's other than using the existing Conversation Reaction Table
Question Backstory
In the DMG for 5th ed there is established DC levels for how NPC's will respond to you in social interactions based on whether they are friendly, indifferent, or hostile to you as ...
1
vote
0answers
60 views
Is there a specified length of time that a pc must wait before trying to perform the same action (due to a previously failed ability check) [duplicate]
For example, a rogue fails a roll attempting to unlock a prison cell. All other pc party members fail on their respective rolls. At that point, may the initial rogue try again or are the prisoners ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Does the DC for the effect of a Beast Master ranger's animal companion's attack ever increase?
A similar question has been asked for Pathfinder, but I could not find any specific rules for 5e.
As an example, we have a Beast Master ranger with a wolf companion. The wolf has an added effect on ...
2
votes
1answer
3k views
How and when do I use my spell save DC and spell attack modifier?
I'm struggling to understand when and how I would use my spell save DC and my spell attack modifier.
Would I use my spell save DC as the DC that enemies need to beat when a spell calls for them to ...
2
votes
1answer
190 views
How is the ankylosaurus animal companion's stun DC calculated?
So in my last question, Dinosaur Damage Dilemma, I was talking about damage for an Ankylosaurus and I realised that while the dinosaur can stun, the DC would be different for an animal companion. It ...
1
vote
0answers
181 views
What are the best ways to increase a sorcerer's spell save DC for illusion or enchantment spells? [closed]
Feats, traits, items, all of the above. Thanks!
1
vote
6answers
276 views
Developing skillcheck DCs for an adventure
I'm looking something alongside the lines of:
Calculating and balancing challenge ratings
...but for DCs for skillchecks in an adventure. Traps, chests, climbing, swimming, etc. how hard those ...
5
votes
0answers
85 views
How do you use DC when you cast a spell [duplicate]
Say I use a spell that requires target to make a DEX save or take 2d6 fire dmg. What would I compare that creatures DEX save to?
Example: I cast a spell that says, "Target creature makes a DEX ...
11
votes
2answers
926 views
Should the DCs for skill checks be higher or lower than saves?
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 ...
2
votes
3answers
569 views
How can I appropriately scale the DC for the Madness Effect from the Sunken Asylum adventure for Pathfinder when converting it to D&D 5e?
I'm a D&D 5e system GM who runs a West Marches style campaign where I run a session a week with all sorts of adventures. This means I borrow a lot from the internet and quite often take monsters ...
32
votes
7answers
4k views
What is the difference between giving advantage on a roll and reducing the DC?
I run a 5e campaign, and I like rewarding my players for thinking outside the box, roleplaying well, etc. Suppose we have the following scenario:
Violet is a bard, and is attempting to intimidate a ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
What's the difficulty class for the paladin's Channel Divinity: Nature's Wrath?
The Oath of the Ancients paladin has the Channel Divinity option Nature's Wrath.
What's the difficulty class for the Channel Divinity ability?
All that I've been able to find is that the target ...
1
vote
1answer
534 views
Why is the base DC for a spell saving throw 8? [closed]
In DnD 5e - Does anyone know what the rationale behind making the base DC of a spell saving throw 8 instead of 10? Most attacks, passive attributes, spell attacks use 10 as the base. The average of a ...
3
votes
2answers
195 views
How do I calculate the DC for a spell cast by my familiar via the familiar spell feat?
Familiar Spell
How do I calculate the DC for a spell cast by my familiar via the familiar spell feat? (i.e. Do I use my ability score modifier, or the familiar's?)
5
votes
2answers
301 views
DC Roll For Starting a Fire?
A character wants to start a campfire in the woods. I assume this would be a Survival check, right?
But what would the DC check be? I've checked the entire Core Rulebook and can't find anything.
1
vote
2answers
909 views
Determine spell save DC for an Illusory Wall based on caster level
There is this illusory wall in a published adventure I'm running, cast by an arcane caster with CL 20. We don't have more information about the caster (e.g. their stats) or the wall (e.g. its save DC)....
3
votes
1answer
323 views
Do DCs for monster traits change due to a Wild Shaped Druid/Barbarian's Rage?
While raging as a barbarian:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
Some beasts have the ability to knock the target prone or cause it to become grappled as part of ...
2
votes
2answers
107 views
Finding DC of Athletics check to climb on a cable line strung between two moving objects in zero gravity?
Climbing in zero or low gravity is a -5 DC modifier. If the two objects are moving at high speed (let's say 300 MPH through outerspace, so no wind resistance), how would that impact the DC of the ...
8
votes
1answer
3k views
What is the highest spell save DC an AL v.7 legal character can have?
Out of curiosity, I’ve been calculating what is the highest spell save DC that a character can have, assuming perfect conditions.
My calculations have so far yielded the following result:
Base of 8
...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Automatic resolution of checks that are impossible to fail or succeed at?
If an ability check DC is lower than your bonus, or if a check DC is higher than (20 + your bonus), and the check is a pure binary check that's pass/fail with no side effects depending on the end ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Does doubling up on Rope and Manacles increase DC or just take multiple checks to escape?
My D&D group is new and we are all still getting used to playing the game and are running through the Starter Set adventure.
During this adventure we end up capturing a Wizard and we bound and ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Advantage or Disadvantage mechanic for “great advantage”
I am new to D&D 5th ed. I have purchased the books but not played in a group. One of the first big things I see is that advantage (or disadvantage) replace most of the die roll modifiers.
Is ...
4
votes
1answer
136 views
Ha-Naga spells save DC
I'm preparing an encounter with an Ha-Naga, and I'm surprised by its spells save DC.
According SRD, its saves are 33 + spell level, charisma-based ; but it has "only" 36 charisma, which should put ...
14
votes
3answers
3k views
How do you calculate save DCs for monster abilities?
While reading up on the Bog Nixie (Bestiary 3, page 201), I noticed it mentioned that it had the harpy's Captivating Song DC and that the save DC was "Charisma-based."
My question, then, is how do I ...
2
votes
1answer
580 views
How is a Ghoul's Paralysis DC calculated?
So I was looking at making a character that used necrografts, and as such, was looking at various undead abilities that I could attach to myself (With DM permission) and that's when I came upon the ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Most effective way to put enemies to sleep?
As the title implies, I'm on a quest to find the most effective way to cause opponents to be put to sleep. Normally, this spell falls off rather abruptly in potency, but if we use a witch with the ...
3
votes
1answer
71 views
Does Sickening Entanglement gain from poison duration and fort DC for multiple doses?
When you fail the reflex save you gain the entangled condition, and then are subjected to the fort save whenever you are entangled by the spell. The spell specifically says that it is a poison ...
5
votes
1answer
616 views
What does it mean to cast spells from a magic item “using your spell save DC”?
This is taken from the description of the Staff of the Woodlands (emphasis added by me):
You can use an action to expend 1 or more of the staff's charges to cast one of the following spells from it,...
13
votes
1answer
1k views
How can PCs keep up when maneuver DCs increase so quickly?
Lots of maneuvers call for a DC of [some number]+2×[the ship's tier]. Yet as your character levels up (and your ship's tier with it), your max ranks in a given skill only increase by 1/level.
Thus, ...
22
votes
3answers
1k views
Who invented Difficulty Class?
As far as I can see, one of the watershed changes with D&D 3e, which has survived down into 5e, was the replacement of a plethora of different systems for determining success to a d20-roll-over ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
When a druid wild shapes, what is the DC of abilities?
Under the polymorph rules
The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.
The druids wild shape ability
At 4th level, a druid gains ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Perception Roll
I have a little question. My players are following a group of bandits, but the players are not hiding, they are even riding horses. They reach a beach where the 5 bandits are preparing a boat to ...
3
votes
1answer
140 views
Does a summoned swarm's Distraction use the caster's save DC or the one in the MM?
When a druid casts Insect Plague, is the save DC of the swarm's Distraction ability 12 (what's written in the MM), or is it based on the 5th level druid spell (15+ability)?
4
votes
3answers
214 views
What's the DC for climbing against a current of flooding water?
A character is climbing through a tunnel. Suddenly, water bursts through and starts flooding the tunnel, creating a dangerous current in the opposite direction as the character wants to go.
By how ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
How is poison DC for monsters calculated?
I'm playing a UA ranger and have a Giant Centipede as my animal companion. I'm about to increase ability scores for it and need to know if increasing any will effect the DC of the poison.
4
votes
3answers
776 views
What's the break DC for Iron Rope?
Iron rope is a magical rope that, upon saying the command word, turns into solid iron (with no chain links). Thus, I have been trying to find an accurate break DC and Escape Artist check for breaking ...
7
votes
3answers
4k views
Do skill DCs have to be multiples of 5?
In D&D 5e, spell save DCs can be any number based on the calculation (Player's Basic Rules pp. 22, 30):
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell save DC = 8 + ...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
Are an Isitoq's Daze & Tears of Anguish the same thing?
The Isitoq, the wonderful Undead Eye available as an Improved Familiar1. It has two abilities that appear to be... the same:
Daze (Ex): An isitoq's nerves form grotesque wings. Any creature struck ...
6
votes
1answer
162 views
Do occupied squares increase Tumble DCs for an invisible creature?
Inspired by flanking the invisible.
(Every creature is size/reach 5ft./5ft.)
Picture this: The invisible creature, say Eveanthia the Elven Rogue under the influence of Greater Invisibility, wants to ...
