This post reflects my opinion on the matter of Difficulty in a D&D, Role-play game setting (which is applicable to BGTSCC). I welcome debate on the subject, as discussion often leads to insight and a widening of view.
Have you ever wondered why DCs (Difficulty Challenge) exists? I'm sure you have, and quickly, you answered your query: it exists as a concrete value in which to apply a success or failure, against. D&D is a game of challenges, both in terms of Mechanics and Role-play.
So my opinion, here, this discussion, is about how Difficulty and Challenges are present in both Mechanics and Role-play, the latter being the more interesting and more important, of the two, in relation to our Server BGTSCC.
I present to you the following quote (emphasis is mine):
DM Guide, 3.5e, Chp. 2 - Using the Rules wrote:The whole game can be boiled down to the characters trying to accomplish various tasks,
the DM determining how difficult those tasks are to accomplish,
and the dice determining success or failure.
While combat and spellcasting have their own rules for how
difficult tasks are, skill checks and ability checks handle just about
everything else.
Hidden: show
But when it comes to Events, Role-play and especially Skill-based actions/interactions, it often falls to the Dungeon Masters in order to prepare and apply DCs, and then let the Dice determine the end result (a matter of Chance). I cannot express how important this is, for the following reasons:
- - It is fair.
- It is open.
- It is final (except when a DC is allowed a reroll).
Below, I've copied out the DM Guide page of Difficulty Class Examples, so you can see for yourself the Range of which DCs can be applied to Skill Checks:
Hidden: show
Let's face it head on: Strengths and weakness, success and failure. Greater or lesser chances for realizing outcomes.
Yet unfortunately, this is not always the case. What do I mean?
In my opinion, far too much Role-play falls upon the skills of the Player, and not, the Skills/Abilities of the Player Character. This is problematic. But the wonderful thing is, it is easily fixed.
The success and failure of Role-play—the Skills and Abilities we apply when RPing our PCs—can be regulated by Difficulty. Actions can create/inspire Challenges, these Challenges can be Rated by DCs, and the PC can apply their Skills/Abilities to overcome that DC.
Will your PC attempt to parlay with the enemy? Will you PC attempt to sail into the storm? Will the Group of PCs attempt to operate the gnomish contraption in order to unlock the secret gate? Will the Group of PCs attempt to strategize against the Enemy Army? Will the PC observe the tone of voice and body language of the Enemy, in order to determine if their is truth or lies being told? Will your PC orate a passionate speech about honor in battle, and will that divinely inspired voice bolster the Group with inspiration to victory?
What is it with these questions?!?
Well, these are all things WE, as the Players, are maybe no good at what-so-ever. However, our PCs may be spectacularly Skilled at these Actions...and how do we see that manifested in the Game? Can we as Players state our PC will "...make a great oration where her Charisma and Faith are applied to their fullest skill?", and have that be taken into account, yet without the actual speech being written or said? Similarly, should our PC have a 30 INT, can we simply APPLY the PC's genius, or do we have to also be Geniuses in order to "make a difference?" This is solved by a setup of Difficulty Challenges, based on the formula of a DC number, in order to beat, using the Dice—simple D&D structure within the Game Design. This should be used, in contrast to, a Single or Group of PCs stating they are going to take an Action, provide information on such action, provide a plan, show up in either IG or Forum instance, and then see that Action play out with success, and no fair, open and final Difficulty being public and shown, where success/failure is obvious and undeniable.
As well, any Storyline—whether Player or DM built—should not be held above the Difficulty of the Challenge. Why is this important? Well, from the Player angle, it then does not allow any specific or certain Players to seem to get a favored advantage to their Actions—a Dice, after all, decided the outcome/result. From the DM angle, it prevents against railroading of Events—a Dice, after all, decided the outcome/result.
And again, I stress that these Difficulties should be as open and public as possible. If you can imagine, all of us, sitting around a Table and playing D&D, it would either be a DM saying "You must beat a DC of xx..." or, we would see them rolling a DC behind the blind. In each case, we understand that Outcomes are not biased (as well, we give faith to the DM to be fair).
On the issue of "roll-playing versus role-playing," I understand the concern. I recommend reading this articale, and this article, and this. Essentially I am calling out for more Balance, between the 2 approaches, as currently, I do question that the current Paradigm is more in the Free-form camp. And it is fair to request that our Character Sheets start amounting to something (both good and bad...and each having effects on our Role- and Role- play).
I will wrap this up and reiterate my point: this Game (Persistent World based on D&D) fails if Difficulty is not upheld, in a balance of Narrative and Dice (chance). Tools have been designed to employ a fairness in all Actions related to success/failure, and this too should be reflected in more pure Role-play instances, and not just purely Engine mechanics.
