Spot Checks

[kintire]

All NPC guards in supplements are pure Soldiers, unless I'm badly mistaken.

Thats a long way from saying "by RAW all guards are soldiers"

Luck isn't enough for them to see a sneaking thief. Natural 20 in a skill check is not automatic success, unlike in attack rolls and saves. So if the sneaking foes have stealth skills that are high enough, it is likely that they will never be spotted.

If the thief has high enough skills that a natural 20 doesn't spot them, then they damn well should get through.

Heh, but it just proves once more that you shouldn't trouble your head thinking about D20-based games from a simulationistic point of view, that they provided any hint at how the game world works.

It just proves once again that, when looking at the d20 systems in a simulationist way, you should actually bear in mind what they are trying to simulate. You seem to be complaining because a game designed to simulate Conan's style of high adventure doesn't accuratly simulate the real world.

well, there you go!

 

[Sutek]

Spot and Listen are not class skills for Soldiers. That is your answer. So all guardsmen who do not have multiple classes - or are Hyborian and have taken Spot & Listen as their adaptability skills - are blind and deaf.

Actually, they can spend skill points gained from INT freely on cross class skills. Only points gained from thier class are restricted to 2:1. (AE, pg74, para 2)

Soldier skill points are (2 + INT mod) x4, so a Soldier with +2 INT mode, for example, would have 8 points that are restricted, and 8 that are not and can be placed on cross class skills 1:1.

It's pretty easy to get any skills necessary if your Soldier is also smart.

:wink:

 

[decker423]

I'm curious how other GMs run Spot Checks.

Let's say the party is travelling from Arenjun to Shadizar. That's a long way. Some bandits use boulders and shrubs for cover, but if the PCs pass a DC 15 spot check, they will notice an upturned rock and the impression of a boot heel in the rocky soil. This will tip them off that they are about to be ambushed.

So, how would you GM this?

Your players leave Arenjun. You secretly roll Spot Checks for all of them? Or, one roll for the entire party using the best Spot Check number? Or, only do it if the players say they are checking the group and trying to stay aware during the trip?

Or...would you make them roll Spot Checks ever so often?

How would you run this?

I have my PCs make Spot and Listen checks ahead of time and when they (unknowingly) come up to a certain area or certain time/place then I already have the rolls and they are truly surprised.

I started this years ago because despite my attempts to stop meta-gaming, some people WILL knowingly or unknowingly change their behavior, actions, preparations, etc. when making a roll for which they don't know what it's for.

Rolling those checks in advance gives the GM the element of surprise. The PCs have already rolled, right? Only those with high enough results are given info (dependant upon their rolls) and that's on a piece of paper in order to keep the others ignorant of what's going on (roll low you're probably oblivious to the world anyway...)

My PCs and I like it. When they go up a LvL, I merely adjust their roll to what they raise it by via skill points or feats.

 

[treeplanter]

Wow this is a real cool idea i'll sure try that

 

[Demetrio]

It's pretty easy to get any skills necessary if your Soldier is also smart.

Indeed. But to be fair, generic guards are likely to be level 1-3 with average Int. Maybe Int 12 at most (if they were brighter it'd be unlikely they'd be a generic guard...)

Personally I think soldiers should have at least Spot as a skill class and that they should have 4/level skill points.

On a different point, assuming a 'take 10' for spot rolls that are not specified as such by the player, wose character can be fairly assumed to be reasonably on the alert, isn't a bad idea. One could also allow the roll but with a maximum dice result of 10, which would allow for bad results but limit the success. And that seems fair if the 'Spot' is being applied to an unspecified area.