Opposed rolls: Stealth vs. Perception, Bluff vs. Sense Motive

[Haskul]

Recently I've been thinking about changing the way my gaming table handles this, to try and cut down on some of the extraneous rolls that happen at the table and make things a little smoother.
My thought is to have Perception and Sense Motive have static DC's, like 10+1/2 Ch. Lvl. + whatever your bonus from putting skill points in to these skills is. Then make the Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Bluff skills the active rolls that try to beat these DC's.
Just wanted to get some feed back from the boards and see what folks thought of this and if they had any better ways to approach it.

Thanks!

~Haskul

[J3Carlisle]

This actually exists over on d20pfsrd, here is the link

[Bruunwald]

J3Carlisle wrote:

This actually exists over on d20pfsrd, here is the link

That's not what that does.

The OP is talking about creating static DCs from characters' skill ranks and mods + 10, like with a poison save or other. The link you gave is just a quick reference for the various skill variables.

I do what the OP is talking about, in a way, when I'm writing up adventures. Where ever I might have an NPC lying in wait, or on guard, or preparing a lie, or some similar situation, I just give them a take 10 or take 20, add whatever modifiers might be at work in the location, and note the final DC down for later use in the game. In some cases, I give them the take 10 or 20 even where that is not normally useable.

It works fine. You just have to be careful to eyeball the final result and make sure it is not unreasonably beyond the abilities of the PCs (this can be possible where an NPC has a gigantic final modifier due to racial mods, etc.).

[J3Carlisle]

well fair enough, I guess I read it wrong

[Haskul]

Yeah, my intent is more along the lines of having a "Skill Defense" stat for perception and sense motive, the skills themselves seem to lend more to a "passive" dc that is opposed by the active roll of slieght of hand, stealth and bluff.

[BillyGoat]

For this sort of thing, rather than adding anything like "1/2 level", I'd just take their relevant skill and assume they're taking 10 (even if it's not RAW possible). Apply circumstance bonuses / penalties where appropriate.

That way, you have no new numbers to calculate. And the DC scales by the NPC/monster's investment in the relevant skill beyond just ranks in it.

If you gave them their total skill bonus and half level to the DC, I think you'd find it rapidly becoming impossible to lie or sneak as the levels increase.

Want to keep the master-liar from always succeeding against these sorts of DCs? Swap out a feat or two on an NPC here or there to give them better bonuses. Or nudge up stats.