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D&D 5e Skill Check Best Practices

December 8, 2016 / Stan Shinn

I’ve reread the 5e skill check rules and looked at adventure examples from the 5e Starter Set, as well as best practices folks have posted on the forums. Here’s my summary of skill check in my own words.

Investigation versus Perception

If a check relies more on reasoning than on the senses, roll Intelligence (Investigation). If the check relies more on the senses than on reasoning, roll Wisdom (Perception).

Passive and Active Checks

In the D&D Starter Set adventure, under Secret doors it lists two different DCs, one for passive and one for active (15/10).

If you’re not actively searching or on look-out, then you invoke Passive checks (which have a higher DC). If you are actively searching or on look-out (such as on watch, guarding a camp), then you roll active Perception check at a lower DC.

Tracking

Use Wisdom (Perception) to find the tracks.

If found, then use Wisdom (Survival) to follow the tracks.

Use Intelligence (Investigation) to learn information about the tracks, such as movement patterns or how and why they end.

For the full rules on Tracking, see DMG page 244.

Example from a forum:

The party needs to hunt a beast that terrorizes a village.
The group arrives to the scene, they try to find some kind of thread to follow,
Wizard starts investigating, making sure that this is an animal attack, and then proceeds to deduce where it came from and it’s motive, hunger, territorial (Investigation)
Party finds some tracks to follow (Automatic or Perception most likely)
Ranger tries to identify the beast (Knowledge Nature)
Ranger follows tracks (Survival check)
Ranger notices that the party came by this place twice (Perception Check)
The wizard tries to deduce why would the creature move in circles (Investigation Check)

Heroes of Arnor: The Two Troublesome Trolls

December 7, 2016 / Stan Shinn

Chapter Two

In Oct. (the 13th Day of Urui, T.A. 1640), the heroes are in Elnost and receive a summons to meet with the governer. En route to the audience, the scouts see Morwen arriving from her morning ride. She has the swiftest horse west of the Misty Mountains and rides unattended, despite the ongoing objections from the governor’s guard.

The heroes meet with Lord Elasander, who bids them investigate the prey that is killing sheep among the farm of the East Wood.

The party journeys and meets with Lien, a farmer, and his wife Lillen, who report details about the missing sheep. Lien leads the adventurers into the woods and shows them a clue he has just found. Footprints in the mud. Very large.

Trolls.

The heroes set out to track the beastly predators. Just as the sun sets, they find the trail terminating into a mountainside where no doubt the trolls shelter from the sun in a cave. Taking to the cliffs above, the heroes wait and watch.

As night fully darkens, two trolls come out, arguing and complaining. From their conversation it appears they are named Gwilam and Floid. After they trolls are out of earshot, the heroes investigate the stinking filth of the cave the trolls call home.

Aside from the carcasses of sheep and the remains of some unfortunate wandering men, there is nothing of interest in the cave.

The heroes hatch a plan. A few hours later, an elaborate trap made from the spears and debris of the dead men is put into place. Now, the heroes must but wait.

Around 3 a.m., the trolls return, a sheep under each arm. As they pull back the doors to their cave, Gwilam, the larger troll who went in first, takes a rack of spears in the chest! As the troll screams in pain, the heroes attack. The battle rages, and the trolls throw hapless sheep at the heroes until finally the two sides engage in melee. A couple of blows from the trolls remind the heroes that they are one troll-swipe away from death! In the end, the spear trap gave the heroes the edge they needed, and Gwilam falls dead. Floid flees momentarily in panic, then turns to face his pursuing foes before going down under the flash of swords glinting by the starlight.

The heroes return to Elnost, troll heads in sacks as proof of their victory. In court, Coronthir rolls the heads in front of Lord Elasander, who then kicks them into a sunbeam, where they turn to stone.

In days to come, Lord Elasander mounts each stone troll-head on pedestals which adorn each side of the entryway to his audience chamber, a sober reminder of the courage of his scouts, and of the looming threat outside Elnost’s walls.

[su_button icon=”icon: map” background=”#000000″ color=”#FFFFFF” link=”https://dicehaven.com/map-arnor/?location=1640-10-13″] View Adventure Location [/su_button]

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Fellowship Phase Activities

Éothain — Éothain is researching lore, asking: 1) What is the Witch King in Angmar doing?, 2) What are the Witch King’s weaknesses?, and 3) What are the domestic politics in Angmar?
Carthaen — Carthaen, an heir of the lost kingdom of Carthedian, is researching Lore, searching for Elendilmir,a token of royalty throughout the Kingdom of Arnor crafted and presented to the High King of Gondor and Arnor, Elendil the Tall. He is specifically looking for 1) when Isildur was last seen with the Elendilmir (presumably where he died), 2) the location where Isildur died, and 3) if anyone else had progress in looking for this heirloom.
Coronthir — Healed from the effects of Shadow.
Guthorn — Changed a trait.

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Middle-earth Map of Arnor in T.A. 1640

December 5, 2016 / Stan Shinn

Middle-earth in T.A. 1640

Here’s my next pass at maps to use with our mid-Third Age campaign. These are formatted to print at 18×24″ using a service like OvernightPrints.com (the maps have a slight bleed to give you edge-to-edge printing).

— Stan

Founded

December 5, 2016 / Robert Miklos

Beric’s Blessing and Baron’s Revenge headed south from Constantine’s Land, in search of better weather and a larger land mass. (Also putting some distance from the clockwork Automoton). A sheltered Bay revealed a small river delta, with a deep water estuary. The two carracks sailed upriver for an hour, until they came upon a point where the delta forks met up to become one river. In the distance to the east lay a vast forest, while at the river fork point, flat, solid ground stretched as far as the eye both to the north and south. The party decided that providence had brought them to the right spot, and the colony was founded on October 10, 1115 (YOTE).

Soon, lumber parties went into the forest to fell the resources needed, while tenements and a palisade were quickly raised. A chill hit the air the next week, and the workers redoubled their efforts to house the settlers. Captain Rannic of the Baron’s Revenge asked to take his leave, but put off his journey when convinced his departure would be futile. His deferral was timely, as activity and arrow flight was spotted in the forest. The party was dispatched, until confronted by a party of green scaled lizard like short creatures, armed with spear and cross bow. Attempts to parlay were for naught, and battle ensued. the party was victorious, but not before the “Dragon Kin” leader spoke threats to the party in broken Gothic. Odd.

The next week brought the first snowfall, and the dispatching of the ships to the Bay. Two days later, Beric’s Blessing returned, and announced that Baron’s revenge had departed early, back to the Old World. A second encounter with the Dragon Kin was more successful, and ended in a stand off. Later that week, the entire settlement was surprised by a large floating object coming towards the Settlement. An Airship of some kind perched just above the entrance to the Settlement, and three “Lizardmen” repelled down ropes. led by a fine speaking Aristophenes, the Party learned that the Lizard Empire had been in contact with the Gothic Empire for some 200 years, and had invited the Gothic Empire to settle the new world in a fulfilment of an alliance. The party, perplexed by the lack of intelligence provided to them by their own government, pondered their next moves, in an ever more hostile land.

Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion — Episode 13

November 24, 2016 / Stan Shinn

The Tyrannus emerges from hyperspace, and the heroes find themselves in the middle of an asteroid field. Alderaan, their destination, is nowhere to be found. In the distance, a grey moon looms. After a tractor beam snags the Tyranus, the crew realizes it is no moon!

Soon the Tyrannus is aboard the Death Star. Emerging from smuggling compartments, the heroes steal an officer’s ID, weapons and officer uniforms. Logging in to a wall terminal, they seek a way to shut down the tractor beam, only to find someone on the opposite side of the Death Star has already dismantled the tractor beams.

They also discover that Agent Lu’Nimah is aboard the Death Star! The heroes quickly ‘transfer’ Agent Lu’Nimah out of her detention block while distracted guards listen to a cell block escape on the opposite side of the Death Star.

The rebels sneak past Stormtroopers and board the Tyrannus only to have an Imperial officer recognize them. Blaster fire ensues, with unarmed Ishtatha nearly perishing in the cross-fire. As the heroes fly into space and punch in astrogation coordinates, they see another ship leaving the Death Star, TIE fighters in hot pursuit. Who were the other escapees?…