Rich Rayburn's page

You could also have other things going on with NPC's that make the roll difficult to determine even if 100% successful.

The last time my PC's tried a Sense Motive against one of my NPC's, the NPC was being completely honest in his reply, but was angry at the PC's for kidnapping him for mistaken identity, had not had a pesh fix in a while (borderline withdrawl), and saw an opportunity to gain monetarily from the PC's mistake (eyes flashing with greed.)

So yes, he was 100% honest, but they had trouble reading it as such because of all the other conflicts and effects the NPC was going through, and I roleplayed it as such, "his answer seems sincere and logical, but there is a glint in his eye, like he sees you as somehow vulnerable. His hand twitches somewhat and his scowl reveals a deep anger."

It was up to them to figure out the pesh withdrawl, why he is angry, or the meaning behind that glint through further questions.

Which they did.

What is fun as a player is describing some cinematic action my PC is attempting and having it succeed or fail spectacularly (either one is fine by me.)

Like describing doing a backflip off a non-moving cart and trying an Intimidation check before engaging in combat... And fumbling my Acrobatics, causing me to roll down an embankment, my weapon thrown 20ft away. The enemy was not intimidated in the least.

Or nailing that Acrobatics check to cartwheel down some inn stairs that leads directly to the capture of an elf that robbed an NPC buddy.

Or when I was in a tent housing herd beasts, weaponless, grabbed a dropped whip that I do not know how to use and tried to engage an enemy, only to fumble, wrapping the whip around my ankles and tripping myself, knocking my head on a fencepost and I'm out cold for three rounds... While the beasts are panicking and the tent is BURNING DOWN AROUND US ALL.

...good times...