As a person that's creating a new character (as I have died) to join back in the campaign with, I was wondering if I can choose to have disadvantage on a check. My character is (or was) apart of a faction, and has a high stealth score. When joining the party I want to have my character to purposefully be worse at stealth.
So as a PC, can you put disadvantage on yourself? I mean you can choose to fail saving throws, but I'd just like some clarification.
There is no mechanism in the rules to do so, but what you can certainly do is rp in a manner as to suck at stealth. Speak with your DM. There are various instances where a DM can let someone “take 10” instead of a roll. You can ask your DM if in certain circumstances if you’d like to “take 5” or even “take 1”.
Short answer: Only if the DM says so--you can't impose disadvantage on yourself.
Longer answer: It's your job, as a player, to tell the DM what your character is doing, and the framework for your options is provided by the rules and your character sheet. None of those rules allow you to apply a disadvantage to yourself willingly. You could, theoretically, narrate your character's actions in such a way that the DM might impose a disadvantage though. For example, let's say your group decides they want to try and sneak around a goblin patrol. DM calls for a Dexterity (stealth) check. Before rolling, you can say that your character decides to loudly hum the Mission Impossible theme song. That would give the DM grounds to say the stealth check is at a disadvantage. So, you see. If you create a reason for a disadvantage, then the DM might impose it, but you cannot impose it on yourself.
I’m pretty sure you could do it as a deception or performance check too, to see how well you hide the fact that you’re actally good at sneaking, or how well you do in pretending that you are being bad at it.
Personally, I’d let you do a normal roll, and if you want to intentionally do worse, then you can choose any number up to what you rolled as your result.
You could always intentionally step on a twig even after acing your stealth. Or just not stealth when a roll is called. Skills are usually something a character has to use intentionally.
My character is (or was) apart of a faction, and has a high stealth score. When joining the party I want to have my character to purposefully be worse at stealth.
So, to clarify, your NEW character has a high stealth score, but you’re trying to stealthily convince your new party that you’re NOT stealthy? Sort of stealth-ception? Do the other players know your guy is playing their characters? If so, you can just say “my guy doesn’t actually stealth. He wants to pretend to trip.” when stealth rolls are called for. As a DM, I’d have you roll performance instead of stealth and see how that works. The other players will get it.
If the other players DON’T know your guy’s actual stats and skills and you’re gaming the players as much as the characters, you’ve got to do something else. Maybe ask the DM to roll your stealth check for you behind the screen. They, at least should know what you’re going for and can either roll you at Disadvantage or roll performance instead. Then they can narrate the results. “Bob fails miserably. Like, he’s humming in the back, and as you all turn to glare at him, he’s like “Oh. Was I doing that out loud?”
If the other players DON’T know your guy’s actual stats and skills and you’re gaming the players as much as the characters, you’ve got to do something else. Maybe ask the DM to roll your stealth check for you behind the screen. They, at least should know what you’re going for and can either roll you at Disadvantage or roll performance instead. Then they can narrate the results. “Bob fails miserably. Like, he’s humming in the back, and as you all turn to glare at him, he’s like “Oh. Was I doing that out loud?”
My snarky alter ego is like “Do you want another player to insight check you? Because that’s how you get another player to insight check you.”
Even if you work it out with the DM ahead of time so they make it look like their idea, “Everyone roll stealth. Bob, I want to roll you myself. Because reasons.” I think it would only take 2 rolls like that before someone said “I want to insight check Bob to see if maybe he’s cursed or something.”
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As a person that's creating a new character (as I have died) to join back in the campaign with, I was wondering if I can choose to have disadvantage on a check. My character is (or was) apart of a faction, and has a high stealth score. When joining the party I want to have my character to purposefully be worse at stealth.
So as a PC, can you put disadvantage on yourself? I mean you can choose to fail saving throws, but I'd just like some clarification.
Thank you!
There is no mechanism in the rules to do so, but what you can certainly do is rp in a manner as to suck at stealth. Speak with your DM. There are various instances where a DM can let someone “take 10” instead of a roll. You can ask your DM if in certain circumstances if you’d like to “take 5” or even “take 1”.
Short answer: Only if the DM says so--you can't impose disadvantage on yourself.
Longer answer: It's your job, as a player, to tell the DM what your character is doing, and the framework for your options is provided by the rules and your character sheet. None of those rules allow you to apply a disadvantage to yourself willingly. You could, theoretically, narrate your character's actions in such a way that the DM might impose a disadvantage though. For example, let's say your group decides they want to try and sneak around a goblin patrol. DM calls for a Dexterity (stealth) check. Before rolling, you can say that your character decides to loudly hum the Mission Impossible theme song. That would give the DM grounds to say the stealth check is at a disadvantage. So, you see. If you create a reason for a disadvantage, then the DM might impose it, but you cannot impose it on yourself.
Thank you for the replies! I appreciate it!
(Though I just came up with the idea of wearing scale mail.)
I’m pretty sure you could do it as a deception or performance check too, to see how well you hide the fact that you’re actally good at sneaking, or how well you do in pretending that you are being bad at it.
Personally, I’d let you do a normal roll, and if you want to intentionally do worse, then you can choose any number up to what you rolled as your result.
You could always intentionally step on a twig even after acing your stealth. Or just not stealth when a roll is called. Skills are usually something a character has to use intentionally.
So, to clarify, your NEW character has a high stealth score, but you’re trying to stealthily convince your new party that you’re NOT stealthy? Sort of stealth-ception? Do the other players know your guy is playing their characters? If so, you can just say “my guy doesn’t actually stealth. He wants to pretend to trip.” when stealth rolls are called for. As a DM, I’d have you roll performance instead of stealth and see how that works. The other players will get it.
If the other players DON’T know your guy’s actual stats and skills and you’re gaming the players as much as the characters, you’ve got to do something else. Maybe ask the DM to roll your stealth check for you behind the screen. They, at least should know what you’re going for and can either roll you at Disadvantage or roll performance instead. Then they can narrate the results. “Bob fails miserably. Like, he’s humming in the back, and as you all turn to glare at him, he’s like “Oh. Was I doing that out loud?”
My snarky alter ego is like “Do you want another player to insight check you? Because that’s how you get another player to insight check you.”
Even if you work it out with the DM ahead of time so they make it look like their idea, “Everyone roll stealth. Bob, I want to roll you myself. Because reasons.” I think it would only take 2 rolls like that before someone said “I want to insight check Bob to see if maybe he’s cursed or something.”