PC skills rolls and checks

[Killer Cyborg]

I have a question...been in the back of my mind for over 15 years of GMing...lol
Do any of you guys roll your players skills for them if the situation is one that they dont know if they succeeded or not?

Yes.
Saving throws as well.

[Cybermancer]

I always let my players roll their skills because they don't know what modifiers I'm applying, both positive and negative.

Ever do something that requires some sort of skill and think, "Gee, something seemed a bit off there..."? I've done it as a mechanic and when that little nagging feeling or voice starts I go and tear down what I've done until I find the problem. This I equate to being the same as making the roll and knowing I failed.

By the same token, have you ever performed a skill and thought everything was just perfect and you did everything right, but you still failed? This I equate to making a skill roll and rolling under your skill but not making the adjust total with unknown modifiers.

In play it happened once where a character was working as an engineer at a robotics manufacturing plant. I had him make some rolls on the design he was working on. All his rolls were under the required skill. Then later a supervisor came by and pointed out some errors that were made. The player immediately objected that he had made his skill rolls (he was new to my game) and the other players pointed out that he didn't know what penalty was in place. So he played the rest of the scene out as though his character had (rightfully) thought he was successful but had failed in some capacity.

It's not a perfect system and there are holes and times players do try to make rerolls when it would be inappropriate. But it's the same players that try to use meta-game knowledge in any situation.

Basically, whatever works at your table is cool though. And I know of a lot of GM's who prefer to make their players rolls for them.

[Spinachcat]

Will doing occassional secret rolls add to the fun of your game?

If yes, do it.

If no, don't do it.

If unsure, try it a few times and pay attention to how the players react.

[mobuttu]

I used to. Now, I've changed to roll skills vs. an intention, not vs. a task. I even tell the player what will happen should he/she fail his/her roll. That way he/she even know what's on stake with the roll, and evaluates his/her chances carefully. Hope this helps.

[mrloucifer]

I like where everyone's head is here, I myself tend to do a little of both.

-For skills that have an immediate impact I tell the player what the failure vs. success will be (like Prowl, walk tightrope, etc)

-Then there are skills they wont know of penalties/bonuses applied till its pertinent.

Example: an acrobatic guy in the group was on a rooftop over looking a couple fo guards below. Long and short of it he made a sucessful throw with his grappling hook to the other rooftop, but he failed his "rope Works" roll with penalites in semi darkness,etc. So when he attempted to walk his tightrope, He rolled a successful walk tightrope skill, but I made a GM roll using his skill roll to see if the rope would start slacking or if it would untie altogether... I rolled a 97%... an embarrasing 20ft drop, guard wer alerted, player was seized and the game turned into a rescue mission of their comrade rather than a break in like they had planned.

[Noon]

If you rolled it yourself, I guess they might pass and never actually realise a mind melter had tried to do anything.

Perhaps roll it yourself in advance of play and if/for each time he passes, tell him he feels an odd twinge in the brain or such. Ie, if he passes, he gets some hints, until finally the odds beat him and he feels like he's on fire.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I have a question...been in the back of my mind for over 15 years of GMing...lol
Do any of you guys roll your players skills for them if the situation is one that they dont know if they succeeded or not?

Yes.
Saving throws as well.

No, they roll them themselves, unless its a perception roll sometimes.

I do take in account of how well they passed or failed, and the level (OCC/OOCR/2ndary) the skill as to the effects that happen.

[Dog_O_War]

I do for a ton of stuff. Anything I feel they shouldn't know in the immediate I roll for them. I will even roll certain things without asking them in the immediate (knowledge gathered beforehand) to avoid a tip of the hand - like a mid-session "what's your save versus possession?" kinda thing.

Otherwise you should only feel like you're cheating you players if you are actually cheating your players.

I find that the meta-knowledge of the dice interfere with the in-game actions of certain players, and always always causes those that do act it out to act it out "badly".

[Overlord Rikonius]

I'd roll it in secret since the character wouldn't know until later if it worked.
BTW, on several of my games, I'd do all the rolls secretly and just inform the players of the results. I found that can make a more immersive experience.

[Natasha]

I'd roll it in secret since the character wouldn't know until later if it worked.
BTW, on several of my games, I'd do all the rolls secretly and just inform the players of the results. I found that can make a more immersive experience.

I've concluded the very same.