1/2 I don’t like the usual mechanics for when an NPC attempts to lie/deceive. It set up a skill contest that pits a characters insight check vs the NPC’s deception skill. The reason is that no matter how the dice rolls work out, the player knows whats up. 2/2 I prefer have to have the NPC say whatever they are going to say and if the character wants to make an insight check, they do so against a set DC instead. No hands are tipped that way. So, how much of a dick am I being by designing such encounters this way?

— Alex Kammer (@GHC_and_Tacos) August 5, 2020

Works just fine. If you’re writing for D&D, I’d say use the passive Deception score of the liar. I use my PCs' passive Insight for this, making a Charisma (Deception) check for lies against those without saying anything.

— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) August 5, 2020