I have very mixed feelings on secret checks. One the one hand, they make a lot of sense, they seem like they really help roleplay and being in character, and they generate suspense and uncertainty.

On the other hand, I like rolling my pretty math rocks. I’m a minor dice goblin, and my expensive RNGs demand to be rolled!

Which is fine, I’m the GM at my table, but if I were on the other side of the screen, I think it’d drive me a little crazy.

I also know that they’re a controversial topic more generally, and some players have really, really strong negative reactions to them.

So, how do you feel? Does your table use them? If not, why not? If so, how do they feel? Do you have anyone at the table with very strong feelings about them? If so, how have they articulated those feelings?

  • jjjalljs
    6·
    6 months ago

    I mostly roll on the table and tell players the target numbers.

    Part of that is I don’t want them to think I’m fucking with them if I roll really hot or really poorly. Sometimes the dice just want to spite the players, and I’m not going to unilaterally fudge it.

    I’ve also taken to telling the players what the target number is before they roll. Part of that is because it feels bad at a player to be like “17!” And the dm goes “ooh sorry I was looking for an 18.” I’m like, “were you, though? Or did you just want me to fail?”

    But also I’m playing Fate now, where players have more clear tools for adjusting their rolls. “I’m gonna follow the guy, quietly, and see where he takes the package. Stealth? I rolled a… two. /looks at character sheet/. Ah, but I’m a Jaded Detective, I know a thing or two about being followed. How about I spend a fate point on that and bump it up?”. That mechanic doesn’t work as well if the targets or rolls are secret.