[3.5 Edition] Rules for Natural 1s and 20s

I Recently came up with a situation where a player was forced to do a skill check and they rolled a nat 1. for context I have to say that I play 3.5 edition. It doesn't state anywhere in the rule book that I've found that a Nat one on a skill check results in an automatic failure However I have always used the rule that a Nat one is actually a minus 20 modifier to the roll. Removing an element of chance from any role like a simple concentration check for a powerful wizard Definitely creates a lot of success But in my personal experience any version of Dungeons and Dragons boils down to a dice rolling game. With that in mind I have had so many good experiences with new Role players or veteran role players experiencing a One on a skill check. With the -20 modifier it provides an opportunity for a character that has invested heavily in ranks to still pull off the miracle of success even with a natural one.

having high level players being able to fail simple roles as almost always provided humor and role play opportunity in my campaigns. Having a rogue break their lock pick in a simple lock or having a monk slip or fail a balance check as they step onto wet curb makes them seem more human in a way and is definitely a humbling experience. Having an element of chance elevates the joy of success. As long as the rolling isn't tedious And your players are enjoying that chance of luck Then having a skill check fail on a Nat one Or applying a -20 in my case adds a sense of realism to my campaign setting in my opinion.

The specific example that came up for me today in my game was a wizard free falling trying to pull off a spell. While the DC was really not that high They were shocked to discover that there was a possibility of failure even though they had well above the DC in ranks. Of course I didn't reveal the DC to them but letting them know there's always an element of risk put them on edge. the way I explained it to them was that no matter how proficient anyone is at any task there is always a chance that fate intervenes in one way or another and it results in failure. For a blacksmith it could be an imperfect ingot, For a spellcaster doing concentration while free falling Maybe they get hit with a bird or swallow a button that flew off of their robe, and for the monk walking a simple ledge there could have just been a squishy slug looking for a nice place to sit. In the end doing it that way for my campaign Typically adds humor laughter and fun role play but if creating strife giving people anxiety or having any negative consequence then it's just not worth doing Because in the end the goal of Dungeons and Dragons in any version is for your players to be having a good time.