gather info and take 10? [Archive] - Wizards Community

gather info and take 10? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
curan69
03-19-07, 02:45 PM From what i can see you can take ten for a gather info check. am i missing something?
Inigo Carmine
03-19-07, 03:25 PM Nope. As long as you're not distracted or threatened you can take 10 on a skill (except use magic device, which explicitly states you cannot).

Unless there are extraordinary circumstances (like the town is currently besieged, or there's a hurricane, etc) I'd say taking 10 is fine.
Neutronium_Dragon
03-19-07, 03:47 PM Taking 10 more or less means you're doing a routine job of asking around, rather than being pushy or taking chances.
Khadmus
03-19-07, 05:08 PM Exactly. a DC of 10 is "major news items", which a little bit of money should certainly get.
bloodtalon
03-19-07, 06:41 PM i would say yes for only the major happenings
like who is the mayor, any armies in the area. missing people

not for the sherrif is a drug dealer, the mayor has a thing for young halflings, where to buy poisons at
enygmatic_me
03-19-07, 07:17 PM i would say yes for only the major happenings
like who is the mayor, any armies in the area. missing people

not for the sherrif is a drug dealer, the mayor has a thing for young halflings, where to buy poisons at

You can still allow taking 10 in these situations as that kind of information should have a very high DC to begin with. The mayor's deviant behavior would only be known by a few people at most so you could even decide, as the DM, that a player can't find this information out at that point in the campaign. Buying poisons is relatively easy in a bigger city. That is one of the things that being the underhanded rogue is all about. Even in small villages it wouldn't be to hard to find out that the old wiseman on the outside of town knows of such things.

It is just a matter of figuring out what is OK for the players to find out and have the DC reflect the impact the information would have. At that point the PC is gambling by taking 10 as that leaves a 50% chance of failure. Remember, the charts are just guidelines. Alter the DC as fits the situation.
Neutronium_Dragon
03-19-07, 07:21 PM Something like the mayor's halfling fetish would probably be DC 25 (at least if the mayor takes any pains to conceal it). Someone's going to know, and a character with a +15 modifier could take 10 to learn it. But someone with a +15 modifier to Gather Information is an expert at making connections with people.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
curan69 03-19-07, 02:45 PM	From what i can see you can take ten for a gather info check. am i missing something?
Inigo Carmine 03-19-07, 03:25 PM	Nope. As long as you're not distracted or threatened you can take 10 on a skill (except use magic device, which explicitly states you cannot). Unless there are extraordinary circumstances (like the town is currently besieged, or there's a hurricane, etc) I'd say taking 10 is fine.
Neutronium_Dragon 03-19-07, 03:47 PM	Taking 10 more or less means you're doing a routine job of asking around, rather than being pushy or taking chances.
Khadmus 03-19-07, 05:08 PM	Exactly. a DC of 10 is "major news items", which a little bit of money should certainly get.
bloodtalon 03-19-07, 06:41 PM	i would say yes for only the major happenings like who is the mayor, any armies in the area. missing people not for the sherrif is a drug dealer, the mayor has a thing for young halflings, where to buy poisons at
enygmatic_me 03-19-07, 07:17 PM	i would say yes for only the major happenings like who is the mayor, any armies in the area. missing people not for the sherrif is a drug dealer, the mayor has a thing for young halflings, where to buy poisons at You can still allow taking 10 in these situations as that kind of information should have a very high DC to begin with. The mayor's deviant behavior would only be known by a few people at most so you could even decide, as the DM, that a player can't find this information out at that point in the campaign. Buying poisons is relatively easy in a bigger city. That is one of the things that being the underhanded rogue is all about. Even in small villages it wouldn't be to hard to find out that the old wiseman on the outside of town knows of such things. It is just a matter of figuring out what is OK for the players to find out and have the DC reflect the impact the information would have. At that point the PC is gambling by taking 10 as that leaves a 50% chance of failure. Remember, the charts are just guidelines. Alter the DC as fits the situation.
Neutronium_Dragon 03-19-07, 07:21 PM	Something like the mayor's halfling fetish would probably be DC 25 (at least if the mayor takes any pains to conceal it). Someone's going to know, and a character with a +15 modifier could take 10 to learn it. But someone with a +15 modifier to Gather Information is an expert at making connections with people.