[RPG] an ability check without a DC called

dnd-5eskillsterminology

Sometimes the DM will want players to perform an ability check and not set a DC. They will instead use the result of the roll to give a sliding scale of success.

Example:

Two players are asked to make an ability check for Perception.

  • Dave the human fighter rolls a 10, he sees webbing in the corners of the room.
  • Alice the dwarf cleric rolls a 17, she also sees this and the giant spider above them.

Is there a specific name for this practice? Because everyone seems to do it (adds flavour to ability checks) but I've not seen a name for it.

Best Answer

In D&D it has no name, because it's not part of the game’s rules — you made it up, much like many other GMs before you have made it up.

There are other games that include this mechanic though; some games call it a “graduated” roll, others call it an “open” roll, and others yet might call it something else. Some games feature degrees of success as a natural part of their system (and so don't bother to specially-name this normal kind of roll), but you could synthesise the term “degree of success roll” from that precedent. There’s no standard, accepted name for this mechanic. I've heard it called an “open-ended roll” too, though that’s ambiguous and can also refer to an exploding dice mechanic. In some roleplaying groups this is informally called “rolling for how well you did”.

So since it’s a house rule specific to your table, and you can call it anything you want! I like “graduated” or “graded” roll myself, but your taste is what matters.