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The new playtest material introduced the new terminology "D20 test", which encompasses attack rolls, saving throws and ability checks.

This question asks for all rolls that do not fall under the "D20 test" umbrella: a new tag called has been created.

Do we really need this new tag? Or is already sufficient?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Just noticed that I mistyped the tag as "d20-tests" instead of "d20-test" when creating it. If the tag is ultimately kept, it would be great if someone with the proper permissions could rename the tag without the "s", in order to keep it consistent with other similar tags. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matthieu
    Commented Aug 22, 2022 at 9:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Matthieu it’s fine singular. See saving-throw and attack-roll. Btw, the tag for skill/ability checks is skills, we don’t have a tag for ability checks specifically. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Aug 22, 2022 at 9:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov thanks for the clarification. The tag is currently plural, which is why I thought it would be better singular, since the tags you mentioned are all singular. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matthieu
    Commented Aug 22, 2022 at 9:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Matthieu Right, I misread your comment, it’s still really early. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Aug 22, 2022 at 9:59

2 Answers 2

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Wait and See

There's currently an . That combined with will currently encompass this, and the inspiration tag description already specifies the three areas it applies. As @Matthieu points out, there's really not much need for it now. If more rules are added using this mechanic, then we could add the tag - but given there wasn't really a need for a group term prior (and Inspiration already applied to all three of these things), it really seems possible that there will be no new rules using that terminology.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ There may be no new rules using that terminology, but already existing rules that encompass those rolls may be rewritten as encompassing Tests. That would actually make more sense than keeping the old list of all 3 kinds of rolls. Which is why I believe the probability of this term being much more used when new rules come out is actually much higher than you imply at the end of your answer. I believe using a tag early on will make sorting through related questions much easier in the future, rather than having to manually go through them and retag them when new rules are released. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matthieu
    Commented Aug 23, 2022 at 6:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ I would love for WotC to standardize on that one term; I agree it is the sensible thing to do. But stranger things have been done, especially for the sake of backwards compatibility. I really hope you're right in your prediction, but I don't really see any lost benefit by waiting until the next playtest wave to add the term. The worse case scenario (they stop using "d20-tests") is still on the table, and it doesn't seem worth the effort risk (both to add and undo it) at the moment (to me). Obviously, opinions will differ there, and that's why you have more upvotes currently ;) \$\endgroup\$
    – ESCE
    Commented Aug 23, 2022 at 15:59
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Tag limitation, and effects/rules that affect all Tests

As of now, the only effect/rule that affects all D20 Tests is the new rule on Inspiration. The fact such a rule exists does imply other rules or effects could be released that target D20 Tests as a whole. As a matter of fact, such effects already exist in 5e, without using this umbrella term.

Tagging questions regarding such effects with the current tags , and (thanks to Thomas Markov for pointing that last one out, since there's no tag for ability checks specifically as of now) would require 3 tags. Knowing that there's only 5 slots per question, that is a sizeable amount that, in my opinion, would be a good reason to use a single tag for questions that target Tests, and not one of those specific kinds of rolls.

Because there's only one rule that affects all Tests, this tag might have little use in the short term, but it would definitely benefit more questions later on, when more rules are released regarding those Tests.

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