[Kromm]

This is one of the most important things, so I want to call it out and toss my weight behind it. I realize that some players will insist on rolling, so it's useful to have the right passage handy:

Originally Posted by p. B343

When to Roll

To avoid bogging down the game in endless die rolls, the GM should only require a success roll if there is a chance of meaningful failure or gainful success. In particular, the GM should require success rolls when . . .

• A PC's health, wealth, friends, reputation, or equipment are at risk. This includes chases, combat (even if the target is stationary and at point-blank range!), espionage, thievery, and similar "adventuring" activities.
• A PC stands to gain allies, information, new abilities, social standing, or wealth.

The GM should not require rolls for . . .

• Utterly trivial tasks, such as crossing the street, driving into town, feeding the dog, finding the corner store, or turning on the computer.
• Daily work at a mundane, nonadventuring job. (To evaluate job performance, make monthly "job rolls"; see Jobs, p. 516.)

"Utterly trivial tasks" even gets a canonical definition on p. B345: The roll is at +10 or better. Don't forget that you can reach +10 easily! "Most mundane tasks" are at +4 or +5, so if there's also lots of time available – enough to get the +5 for that on p. B346 – you'll typically be at +10. In short, if a task offers no sense of adventure (+5 for difficulty) and you can just quietly fiddle around until you get it right (+5 for time), you don't roll; it's like "taking 20." Since most skill rolls take just a few seconds, even at 30× the usual time, you're only talking about a minute or two.

Also be on the lookout for places where no roll is needed! Mounting Up (p. B396) calls for no roll to mount a horse normally – only if you want to "leap astride" in one turn of combat time. Lots of specific tasks work this way, and it's important to note that the specific always trumps the general (e.g., a skill description, which is as general as it comes).