{"id":3573,"date":"2024-02-04T00:25:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-04T07:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/?p=3573"},"modified":"2025-05-30T14:46:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T21:46:25","slug":"dd-5e-rules-skills-group-checks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2024\/02\/dd-5e-rules-skills-group-checks.html","title":{"rendered":"D&#038;D 5e Rules &#8211; Skills &#8211; Group Checks!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2984\" src=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-300x196.webp\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-300x196.webp 300w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-650x425.webp 650w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-768x502.webp 768w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-1200x784.webp 1200w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules.webp 1300w\" alt=\"Know the Rules\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2022\/09\/dd-5e-rules-a-prologue.html\">Part of an ongoing series of <strong>5e (2014)<\/strong> Rules notes.<\/a>\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #800000;\">See the end of the post for notes on <strong>5.5e (2024)<\/strong> rules.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This is actually an interesting and (at my table) rarely used game mechanic: dealing with skill checks as a group, rather than as individuals. It not only can save time, but it can get around some of the problematic aspects of Skill checks.<\/p>\n<h1>Group Skill Checks<\/h1>\n<p><em>The rock chimney needs to be ascended &#8212; not by an individual, but by the whole party.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The goblin encampment needs to be snuck past &#8212; not just by the rogue, but by that jingling oaf of a fighter, too.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The suspicious guard is eyeballing everyone who passes &#8212; and the whole party has cultist robes, hoping they can slip by.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>5e includes a method for groups, <em>as a whole<\/em>, to make an Ability or Skill check.\u00a0 As laid out in <a href=\"https:\/\/5thsrd.org\/rules\/abilities\/ability_checks\/#:~:text=To%20make%20a,the%20group%20fails.\">PHB 175<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>To make a group Ability Check, everyone in the group makes the Ability Check. If at least half the group succeeds, the whole group succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The idea here is that more experienced or skillful players are\u00a0<i>helping\u00a0<\/i>the less experienced or skillful ones to succeed.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Put your feet right where I put mine &#8230; there you go, that&#8217;s it, great!&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Watch out for that stick there &#8212; don&#8217;t step in it because it will snap and make a loud nose and ruin our chance to sneak by.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;I wish you peace, diligent guardian of the temple, as do <\/em>all my friends<em>, riiiiiight?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Group checks are useful where all the characters are<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">doing the same thing,<br \/>\nagainst<br \/>\na challenge with a single DC value<br \/>\nand will<br \/>\nsucceed or fail as a group.<\/p>\n<p>Some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Does the group get through a swamp without running into quicksand or a similar hazard?\u00a0 Roll as a group on\u00a0<i>Wisdom (Survival)\u00a0<\/i>vs a DC.<\/li>\n<li>Does the group sneak by the observation post without being heard?\u00a0 Roll as a group on\u00a0<i>Dexterity (Stealth)<\/i> vs a standard passive <i>Perception\u00a0<\/i>value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This mechanic works less well when there are <strong>multiple values<\/strong> in the challenge\/opposition, and where an <strong>individual<\/strong> can potentially shine.<\/p>\n<p>As well, the mechanic&#8217;s applicability is limited. You could use it, in theory, for spotting traps, for example, but it makes a lot more sense that the rogue is looking for traps and that their <em>Perception<\/em> is what makes or breaks the deal, rather than have them succeed personally, but then have the group fail as a whole because presumably a bunch of people did poorly and distracted the rogue from a trap they should have found.<\/p>\n<h1>Helping someone else<\/h1>\n<p>This is related, but similar. Note that <a href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2023\/11\/dd-5e-rules-help.html\">someone can do a\u00a0<i>Help\u00a0<\/i>action<\/a> in combat to give a person making the Skill or Ability Check do so with Advantage (if the helper can explain how it is they are helping, of course).\u00a0 That&#8217;s how this all functions tactically <em>in a battle<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Ranger&#8217;s background gives her a lockpicking ability to Help with &#8212; not as good as the Rogue&#8217;s, who&#8217;s frantically working with his tools against the lock, while the other party members fend off the guards, but good enough to offer useful advice, hand the correct next pick to the Rogue, and overall give the Rogue an Advantage in trying to get the door open.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In theory, it works that way for other activities. So, under the rules for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/sources\/basic-rules\/using-ability-scores#WorkingTogether\">Working Together<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sometimes two or more characters team up to attempt a task. The character who\u2019s leading the effort\u2014or the one with the highest Ability Modifier\u2014can make an Ability Check with Advantage, reflecting the help provided by the other characters. In combat, this requires the Help action (see chapter 9).<\/p>\n<p>A character can only provide help if the task is one that he or she could attempt alone. For example, trying to open a lock requires proficiency with thieves\u2019 tools, so a character who lacks that proficiency can\u2019t help another character in that task.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, a character can help only when two or more individuals working together would actually be productive. Some tasks, such as threading a needle, are no easier with help.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>So, for example, when searching the room for something, a pair is actually better off with the best-Perception person doing the search, and someone else assisting them (for Advantage) than both people doing the search roll (because rolling with the highest Skill twice gives you a better chance than rolling once with a high Skill and once with a lower one).<\/p>\n<h4>Notes:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rpg.stackexchange.com\/questions\/57142\/how-does-dd-5e-handle-group-skill-checks\">https:\/\/rpg.stackexchange.com\/questions\/57142\/how-does-dd-5e-handle-group-skill-checks<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rpg.stackexchange.com\/questions\/56017\/it-seems-like-every-skill-check-should-always-be-made-with-advantage-due-to-the\">https:\/\/rpg.stackexchange.com\/questions\/56017\/it-seems-like-every-skill-check-should-always-be-made-with-advantage-due-to-the<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #800000;\">So does any of this change under 5.5e?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4197\" src=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo-208x300.png\" alt=\"dnd 5.5\/2024\" width=\"208\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo-208x300.png 208w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo.png 215w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 208px) 85vw, 208px\" \/><\/a>Not really. The new half-edition, 5.5e (2024) still has the <strong>Group Check<\/strong> mechanism, but it&#8217;s in the DMG (p. 28), and more examples are given for its use.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">One note: the everyone-sneaking-past-the-guard scenario I suggested above is explicitly called out as\u00a0<em>not<\/em> a good time to be using this mechanic.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Group checks aren&#8217;t appropriate when one character&#8217;s failure would spell disaster for the whole group.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">So, it notes, one character being noisy would get the guard&#8217;s attention, no matter what the sneakier people in the group did.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">It also notes that\u00a0 when a single check is sufficient (e.g., finding a hidden compartment with a <em>WISdom (Perception)<\/em> check; only one person needs to be successful, not everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Other examples given (my titles):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Group Research<\/strong>:\u00a0 Everyone does an <em>INTelligence (Investgation)<\/em> roll in the library to see if everyone fanning out and skimming through books (once the Wizard has told them what to look for) successfully finds the information being sought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Mountain Climbing<\/strong>:\u00a0 The group is roped together climbing a dangerous mountain. One person failing a <em>STRength (Athletics)<\/em> check is okay &#8212; they have other team members to brace themselves as the rope draws taut. But if over half the party slips &#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>The Big Party<\/strong>:\u00a0 Someone in the group insulted a noble as a big to-do, and he&#8217;s demanding the whole party gets kicked out. Doing a group <em>CHArisma (Persuasion)\u00a0<\/em>check might make more sense than just relying on the Bard.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Helping Someone Else<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">This is talked about more in <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2023\/11\/dd-5e-rules-help.html\">the Help article<\/a>, but not much has changed in 5.5e, except that helping (in or out of combat) requires some sort of applicable Proficiency, not just arguable backstory as to how you are helping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">(By implication, if you are using the Help Action in combat, you must be using a skill or ability or tool\/weapon that you have Proficiency in, like, say, a weapon.\u00a0 Just shouting and waving your arms doesn&#8217;t do anything to distract if you don&#8217;t have Intimidation or Performance or something.)<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone wants to roll their own Skill check. Sometimes, that&#8217;s not the best idea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[47,64,50],"class_list":["post-3573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dd-5e-rules","tag-dnd5e","tag-help","tag-rules"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3573"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4312,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573\/revisions\/4312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}